WASHINGTON: The White House insisted Monday evening that US forces remained in a “defensive” posture in the Middle East, despite a military buildup over the Israel-Iran war and a shock warning from President Donald Trump to evacuate Tehran.
Trump’s brief warning on social media, without further details, raised speculation that the United States may be readying to join Israel in attacking Iran.
Those suspicions rose further after it was announced that Trump would be leaving a G7 summit in Canada and returning to the White House a day early over the mounting Middle East conflict.
But White House and Pentagon officials reiterated that US forces in the region remained in a “defensive” posture.
White House spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer, replying to a post on social media that claimed the United States was attacking in Iran, said: “This is not true.”
