Trump denies US weighing sending more troops to Mideast
December 6, 2019, 10:38 am

Trump denies US weighing sending more troops to Mideast

US President Donald Trump on Friday denied a report that his country was weighing sending more than 12,000 troops to the Middle East in the face of a perceived threat from Iran. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Friday denied a report that his country was weighing sending more than 12,000 troops to the Middle East in the face of a perceived threat from Iran.

“The story today that we are sending 12,000 troops to Saudi Arabia is false or, to put it more accurately, Fake News!” Trump wrote in a tweet.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1202791650726154240

The Wall Street Journal reported that the possible deployment would include “dozens” more ships and double the number of troops added to the US force in the region since the beginning of this year, citing unnamed US officials.

The paper said Trump could make a decision on the troop boost as early as this month.

The Pentagon had denied the report on Wednesday, saying that “To be clear, the reporting is wrong. The US is not considering sending 14,000 additional troops to the Middle East.”

A series of attacks on shipping vessels and attacks on two Saudi oil installations in September that were blamed on Iran have led to increased tensions in the region. The US has already ramped up its military presence in the Gulf and tightened economic sanction on Tehran, further elevating tensions across the region.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”