In a plan that is set to be presented to the White House on Thursday, up to 10,000 more U.S. service members would be deployed to the Middle East as tensions between the U.S. and Iran are high.

The Associated Press reports the Pentagon’s plan was aimed at ensuring the safety of the U.S. and its allies in the region and that the troops would be deployed in a defensive manner, with the possibility to include more Patriot missile batteries and ships.