US beefs up security at Middle East embassies

Security has been increased at a number of US embassies in the Middle East and Africa following America’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement signed with Iran and the transfer of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Marine Corps announced in a statement that “it was asked to increase their presence in the embassies in the light of current events”.

The decision was made by the US Department of Defence in cooperation with the State Department.

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The Pentagon has not disclosed how many Marines are being deployed or their positions, but CNN reported that security measures have been increased in a number of diplomatic facilities in Israel, including the new embassy in Jerusalem.

On Friday, CNN cited an unnamed official as saying that the US State Department had beefed up security in its diplomatic missions in the Muslim world weeks before the opening of its new embassy in Jerusalem.