During his May trip to Baghdad, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared a message with Iraqi leaders that he wanted passed on to Iran: If any attacks by the country or its proxies killed any U.S. troops, there would be military action, U.S. officials told The Washington Post.
Pompeo has issued a few private warnings, the officials said. Tensions are mounting between the U.S. and Iran, with the U.S. accusing Iran of attacking oil tankers in the Middle East and Iran, which denies attacking the tankers, saying it will soon violate the 2015 nuclear deal by having too much low-enriched uranium in its stockpile. On Monday, the Pentagon announced it will send 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, and while at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa on Tuesday, Pompeo said President Trump "does not want war," and the U.S. is in the region to "deter aggression."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
A Man on the Inside: Netflix comedy leaves you with a 'warm fuzzy feeling'The Week Recommends Charming series has a 'tenderness' that will 'sneak up' on you
-
Bread & Roses: an 'extraordinarily courageous' documentaryThe Week Recommends Sahra Mani's 'powerful' film examines the lives of three Afghan women under the Taliban
-
V13: a 'marvelous and terrifying' account of the Bataclan terror trialsThe Week Recommends Emmanuel Carrère's work is 'absolutely gripping'
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in TurkmenistanThe Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
-
Israel's wars: is an end in sight – or is this just the beginning?Today's Big Question Lack of wider strategic vision points to 'sustained low-intensity war' on multiple fronts
-
Iran and Israel: is all-out war inevitable?Talking Points Tehran has vowed revenge for assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, but Gaza ceasefire could offer way out
-
Hamas and Hezbollah strikes: what does it mean for Israel?Today's Big Question Iran vows revenge for death of Hamas political leader in Tehran, hours after Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah member in Beirut
-
Could Hezbollah defeat Israel?Today's Big Question 'World's best-armed non-state group' on brink of all-out war with neighbour as UN chief warns of regional 'catastrophe'
-
Iran at the nuclear crossroadsThe Explainer Officials 'openly threatening' to build nuclear bomb, as watchdog finds large increase in enriched uranium stockpile
-
Will Iran attack hinder support for Ukraine?Today's Big Question Pro-Kyiv allies cry 'hypocrisy' and 'double standards' even as the US readies new support package
-
Will Iran's attack on Israel backfire?Today's Big Question The unprecedented targeting of Israel could be a 'godsend' for Netanyahu as the limits of Tehran's military power are exposed
