Washington (CNN) The US has announced it will deploy additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East after US officials said intelligence indicates Iran and its proxies could be planning to threaten US forces and interests in the Middle East.

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan approved the deployment.

"The Acting Secretary of Defense has approved the movement of USS Arlington and a Patriot Battery to US Central Command as part of the command's original request for forces earlier this week," a Pentagon statement said.

CNN has reported that intelligence has shown that Iran is likely moving short-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles aboard boats in the Persian Gulf. The US military believes that cruise missiles could be launched from the small Iranian boats, which are known as dhows. Officials have said those boats are IRGC naval assets, not regular Iranian navy boats.

The carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed by US President Donald Trump's administration to the Middle East as a warning to Iran, passed through Egypt's Suez Canal on Thursday and is currently sailing in the Red Sea.

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