British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the United Kingdom will consider taking part in a US-led military effort to bolster Saudi Arabia’s defences.

He also accused Tehran of being behind this month’s attacks on two major oil facilities in the kingdom. The United Kingdom had previously held back from attributing blame for the September 14 attacks on the Saudi Aramco plants, responsibility for which was claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have dismissed the Houthis’ claim and say Iran was responsible for the attacks, a charge Tehran denies.

The Pentagon announced on Friday it would send additional US troops and missile defence equipment to Saudi Arabia and the UAE as part of a “defensive” deployment.

Officials said the number of troops was likely to be in the hundreds.