The oil-rich kingdom has poured millions of dollars into a global damage control campaign. While some governments have shunned the country, the Trump administration remains a strong supporter.
Saudi Arabia's campaign of denial would never have gotten off the ground had it not been for the Trump administration's support over the past year, say former State Department officials.
In an interview that appears in an upcoming PBS documentary, Mohammed bin Salman denies he had prior knowledge of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The Pentagon provided few details on the deployment. The announcement appears to indicate that the president has not made a decision about whether to take military action against Iran.
The Trump administration ordered new sanctions on Iran, in response to the attack in Saudi Arabia that temporarily cut off nearly 6% of the world's oil supply. The sanctions' effect may be limited.
"This attack did not originate from Yemen despite Iran's best efforts to appear so," said Saudi Col. Turki al-Malki. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called it an "act of war" against the kingdom.