The US Navy has sent an additional warship to the Middle East, a US official told Reuters on Thursday, amid a large military buildup in the region and soaring tensions.

The official, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the USS Delbert D Black had entered the region in the past 48 hours.

This brings the number of destroyers in the Middle East to six, along with an aircraft carrier and three other littoral combat ships.

The additional warship in the region was first reported by CBS News.