The Pentagon is considering the possibility of limited ground operations inside Iran that could last from several weeks to up to two months, The Washington Post reported.
According to the report, the scenarios under discussion do not provide for a full-scale invasion. Instead, they involve targeted raids by special forces and conventional infantry units in coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz. Potential objectives may include the seizure of Kharg Island, one of Iran’s key oil export hubs.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pentagon’s task is to prepare for various contingencies and ensure the commander-in-chief has “maximum flexibility.” She stressed that such preparations do not mean a decision to launch a ground operation has been made.
Earlier reports indicated that about 3,500 U.S. troops had been deployed to the region aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli. According to The Washington Post, the deployment could be part of preparations for operations that may last several weeks.
It remains unclear whether U.S. President Donald Trump would approve such actions. Speaking to reporters in early March, he said, “I’m not sending troops anywhere,” while adding that if such a decision were made, he “certainly wouldn’t announce it in advance.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said Washington could achieve its objectives in Iran without deploying ground forces, the BBC reported. According to him, the presence of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf is intended to provide the president with a range of options in the event of further escalation.
Iran signals readiness to respond
Iranian media, including the state-run news agency IRNA, published a statement by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf marking one month since the start of the conflict.
Ghalibaf said Iran’s armed forces are prepared for possible escalation. “They are waiting for American soldiers to land so they can unleash a barrage of fire upon them,” he said.
He also claimed that “the enemy publicly signals readiness for negotiations while secretly preparing a ground offensive.” According to Ghalibaf, the United States, “by presenting a list of 15 demands, is seeking to achieve what it failed to accomplish during the war.”
Regarding the possibility of capitulation, he stressed that Tehran’s position is “clear” and that the country will not accept “humiliation.”
Reports about a potential U.S. ground operation in Iran have been widely discussed in American media in recent days, although no official confirmation of invasion plans has been made. Trump has previously stated that he does not intend to deploy U.S. troops to the region.
