The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, U.S. officials said, as thousands of American soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the war should President Donald Trump choose to escalate.
Officials said the plans could mark “a new phase of the war” that may be “significantly more dangerous” for US forces than the first four weeks of fighting, according to The Washington Post.
Any ground mission would fall short of a full-scale invasion and could involve raids by Special Operations forces and conventional infantry, officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
They said the operations could expose troops to “drones and missiles, ground fire and improvised explosives.”
Thousands of American soldiers and Marines are arriving in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the Iran War, exposing U.S. forces to threats such as Iranian drones, missiles, ground fire, and improvised explosives.
Any ground operation would stop short of a full-scale invasion, focusing on Special Operations forces and conventional infantry raids.
Potential objectives include seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export hub in the Persian Gulf, and conducting raids along coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz to destroy weapons capable of targeting commercial and military shipping.
The timeline for such operations could be “a couple of months”, according to one official.
“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, according to the report.
“It does not mean the President has made a decision.”
Discussions have included potential operations targeting Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub, and coastal raids near the Strait of Hormuz to neutralise threats to shipping.
Officials said possible missions could last “weeks, not months,” while others estimated “a couple of months.”
Trump has said, “I’m not putting troops anywhere,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that it “is not going to be a prolonged conflict” and could achieve objectives “without ground troops.”
Thirteen US troops have been killed and more than 300 wounded in attacks across the region since US-Israel war on Iran began in late February, officials said.
Regional escalation has continued since Israel and the US launched an offensive against Iran on February 28, killing more than 1,300 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
