The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is exploring options for a large-scale deployment of American troops in the Middle East. Among the discussed solutions is the possible dispatch of thousands of service members to conduct a ground operation on the strategic Iranian island of Kharg, which is a key hub for Iran’s oil exports.
This is reported by Finway
U.S. Plans for the Strait of Hormuz and Kharg Island
The deployment of military contingents is related to ensuring the safe passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. According to sources, the main focus will be on air and naval forces, although the deployment of ground troops on the Iranian coast is not ruled out. Special attention is being given to Kharg Island, through which approximately 90% of Iran’s oil exports pass, but any operation there is risky due to the possibility of shelling from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
On March 13, the United States already struck military targets on Kharg. President Trump threatened that he does not rule out strikes on the island’s main oil infrastructure; however, military experts estimate that controlling this facility may be strategically more advantageous for the U.S. than destroying it.
Challenges and Political Risks for the Trump Administration
The use of U.S. ground units for limited missions poses significant political risks for Trump, given his promises not to involve the country in new protracted conflicts in the Middle East and the low level of support for the operation among Americans. Additionally, sources indicated that options for securing Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium were considered, although such actions are deemed extremely complicated even for special forces.
“The President is focused on achieving all the objectives of Operation ‘Epic Fury’: destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capability, annihilating the Iranian navy, ensuring that its terrorist proxies cannot destabilize the region, and guaranteeing that Iran will never be able to possess nuclear weapons,” officials stated from the White House, while the Pentagon declined to comment altogether.
Despite the discussions, sources do not consider the deployment of ground troops in Iran to be inevitable, and the details of operational planning remain classified.
According to official information, 13 American service members have already died in the current conflict, with around 200 others injured, mostly lightly. For many years, Donald Trump has criticized the foreign intervention policies of his predecessors; however, he now does not rule out the possibility of a U.S. ground presence in Iran.
Meanwhile, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard reported that Iran’s uranium enrichment program was destroyed by strikes in June, and the entrances to underground facilities were blocked with cement.
Discussions in Washington regarding the strengthening of U.S. military presence in the Middle East go beyond the impending arrival of a rapid response airborne group of over 2,000 Marines. The situation is complicated by the withdrawal of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier for maintenance following a fire incident on board.
U.S. policy regarding the security of the Strait of Hormuz remains inconsistent: after initial statements about escorting vessels by the U.S. Navy, Trump called on other countries to join in protecting the key waterway. The lack of support from allies has led the U.S. President to even suggest the possibility of withdrawing from patrolling the strait.
In light of the escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf and systematic attacks by Iran on American facilities, the U.S. State Department has ordered all embassies worldwide to conduct an immediate security assessment.