UK sends more troops to Gulf amid Donald Trump jibes over British military involvement

John Healey says extra deployment is response to ‘expanding threat’ from Iran

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The UK is sending more military support to the Gulf, taking the total deployment to 1,000 troops, amid more jibes from Donald Trump about Britain’s refusal to get involved in offensive operations against Iran.

Speaking from Qatar where he met UK troops, the defence secretary, John Healey, said the extra deployment was in response to an “expanding threat” from Iran.