The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, U.S. officials told The Washington Post late Saturday night. The report follows an announcement late Saturday by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) that a task force of 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard the USS Tripoli has arrived in the Middle East.
According to the officials, the plans do not involve a full-scale invasion but rather raids by a mixture of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry troops. The highly sensitive military plans have been in development for weeks, the sources told the newspaper.
They added that internal administration discussions over the past month have focused on the possible seizure of Kharg Island - through which about 90% of Iran’s oil exports pass, as well as raids on other coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz to locate and destroy weapons capable of targeting commercial and military vessels. One official said such operations would likely take “weeks, not months” to complete, while another estimated a potential timeline of “several months.”
However, the report noted that it remains unclear whether President Donald Trump intends to approve all, part or none of the Pentagon’s plans.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the report, saying: “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the President has made a decision.”