Article snippet: The Pentagon on Friday laid out its plans to mount a multination maritime campaign in the Middle East and send additional troops to the region as tensions with Iran continue to rise. U.S. Central Command is developing the campaign, dubbed Operation Sentinel, to ensure freedom of navigation “in light of recent events in the Arabian Gulf region,” the Pentagon said. The campaign’s goal is to deescalate tensions in international waters, specifically focusing on the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (BAM) and the Gulf of Oman, the Defense Department said. “This maritime security framework will enable nations to provide escort to their flagged vessels while taking advantage of the cooperation of participating nations for coordination and enhanced maritime domain awareness and surveillance,” the Defense Department said in a statement. The Pentagon announced plans to move forward with the operation — which Defense Secretary nominee Mark Esper previewed during a hearing in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee this week — while also confirming that it has begun sending U.S. troops to Saudi Arabia to counter any threat from Iran. Central Command announced Friday it has authorized the deployment of troops to Saudi Arabia to ensure “our ability to defend our forces and interests in the region from emergent, credible threats.” The deployment is at the invitation of the government in Riyadh, the Pentagon said. The Pentagon did not specify the num... Link to the full article to read more