据两名美国官员和一名地区消息人士透露，美军近几周向沙特阿拉伯和卡塔尔增派了两套“爱国者”导弹防御系统，以保护当地的石油和天然气设施。
The U.S. military in recent weeks sent two additional Patriot missile batteries to protect oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two U.S. officials and one regional source said. Why it matters:
为何重要：美国希望向这两个盟友保证，如果特朗普总统决定恢复对伊朗的大规模作战行动，美方将保护其关键能源设施。
The U.S. wanted to reassure both allies that it would protect their key energy facilities in case President Trump decides to resume major combat operations against Iran.
- 特朗普周四表示，他正在考虑在未来几周内重启轰炸行动。他说：“现在我必须做出决定：要么伊朗签署协议，要么它将不复存在。”
• Trump said on Thursday that he's considering renewing a bombing campaign in the coming weeks. "Now I have to make a decision: either Iran signs the deal, or it won't exist any longer," he said. Flashback:
回顾：八月初，当特朗普考虑发动包括打击伊朗能源基础设施在内的大规模攻击时，沙特阿拉伯和卡塔尔的领导人曾游说他不要这样做。他们严重担忧伊朗会报复性打击其石油和天然气设施。
In early August, when Trump was considering launching a massive attack that included strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, the leaders of both Saudi Arabia and Qatar lobbied him not to do it. They expressed grave concern that Iran would strike their oil and natural gas facilities in retaliation.
- 美国官员表示，这些请求是特朗普决定不发动攻击，转而采取经济施压行动的关键原因。
• U.S. officials said the pleas were a key reason Trump decided not to attack and move instead toward an economic pressure campaign.
幕后情况：上个月，美军向沙特阿拉伯增派了一套“爱国者”系统，以保护一处关键石油设施。另一套“爱国者”系统被派往卡塔尔，以保护一处天然气设施。
Behind the scenes: Last month, the U.S. military sent one additional Patriot battery to Saudi Arabia to protect a key oil facility. Another Patriot battery was sent to Qatar to protect a natural gas facility.
- 如果大规模作战行动恢复，美国将需要沙特阿拉伯允许其使用该国领空。但如果沙特方面认为其石油设施得不到保护，他们不太可能给予许可。
• The U.S. will need Saudi Arabia to allow it to use the country's airspace if major combat operations resume. But the Saudis are unlikely to grant permission if they feel oil facilities won't be protected.
- 美国中央司令部（CENTCOM）发言人蒂姆·霍金斯上尉拒绝置评。
• A spokesman for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Capt. Tim Hawkins, declined to comment.
现实检验：自对伊朗战争爆发以来，“爱国者”导弹系统，尤其是其拦截弹，已成为备受追捧的战略物资。
Reality check: Patriot batteries and especially their interceptors have become a highly sought-after commodity since the war in Iran started.
- 美军从其他战区司令部向中东调拨了导弹系统和拦截弹，引发了外界对其在全球其他地区战备状态的担忧。
• The U.S. military transferred batteries and interceptors to the Middle East from other regional commands, raising concerns about readiness in other parts of the world.
当前局势：美国军方正在向中东地区派遣更多的军舰、战斗机和部队，以应对可能重新爆发的战争。
State of play: The U.S. military is sending more warships, fighter jets and troops to the Middle East ahead of a possible resumption of the war.
- 一位美国官员表示，美国“西奥多·罗斯福”号航空母舰及其战斗群已于周日悄悄离开圣地亚哥，前往该地区；预计将于11月中旬抵达中东。
• A U.S. official said the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its strike group left San Diego "quietly" on Sunday heading to the region. It's expected to arrive in the Middle East around mid-November.
- “罗斯福”号将与自3月以来一直驻扎在该地区的“乔治·H·W·布什”号航空母舰，以及今年夏天从日本派往中东、目前已在当地驻扎约一个月的“乔治·华盛顿”号航空母舰共同执行任务。
• The Roosevelt will join the USS George H.W. Bush, which has been in the region since March, and the USS George Washington, which was sent from Japan during the summer and has been in the region for only about a month.
- 这位美国官员称：“这意味着中东地区届时可能拥有多达三支航空母舰战斗群，其火力将大大增强。”
• "This means the Middle East region could potentially have up to three aircraft carrier strike groups. This is much more firepower," the U.S. official said.
- 另一位美国官员则表示，目前尚未确定“罗斯福”号是会取代现有的某艘航空母舰，还是作为新增的战斗力量部署到中东。
• But another U.S. official said it hasn't been determined whether the Roosevelt will replace one of the aircraft carriers currently deployed to the Middle East or whether it will be additional. Zoom in:
详细信息：一位美国官员还透露，“马金岛”两栖作战群（该作战群包括三艘两栖舰艇，搭载了来自第13海军陆战队远征队的数千名海军陆战队员）已于周一启程前往中东；预计该作战群将于11月底抵达，并与此前已部署在该地区的另一支两栖作战群及海军陆战队部队会合。
The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which includes three amphibious ships carrying thousands of Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, left for the region on Monday, a U.S. official said. • It is expected to arrive in the Middle East by the end of November and join another Amphibious Group and Marine expeditionary unit that have been deployed to the region over the last few months.