President Trump is reportedly weighing the deployment of thousands of additional US troops to the Middle East that could potentially be used on the ground in Iran.
The Trump administration has discussed using ground forces on Iranian shores to secure the Strait of Hormuz and Kharg Island, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The possibility of using US troops to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium has also been discussed, the outlet said.
However, the deployment of ground forces anywhere in Iran is not believed to be imminent, sources cautioned.
The sources noted that all the operations being considered would be risky, as they would put US troops within easy reach of Iran’s missiles and drones.
“There has been no decision to send ground troops at this time, but President Trump wisely keeps all options at his disposal,” a White House official told Reuters.
“The president is focused on achieving all of the defined objectives of Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capacity, annihilate their navy, ensure their terrorist proxies cannot destabilize the region, and guarantee that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official added.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The Pentagon is believed to have already authorized the deployment of additional Marines and warships to the Middle East as Iran continues to attack oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal reported last week.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly authorized “an element of an amphibious ready group and attached Marine expeditionary unit, typically consisting of several warships and 5,000 Marines and sailors,” the outlet said, citing US officials.
The USS Tripoli, which resembles an aircraft carrier but is smaller and operates closer to shore, is reportedly en route to the Middle East from Japan.
Iran’s attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz have all but stopped the transit of oil through the crucial waterway, sending petroleum and gas prices soaring.
Last week, Trump ordered airstrikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, which is located about 16 miles off the Iranian coast and controls 90% of Iranian crude oil exports.
Trump said military targets were “totally obliterated” in the strikes, which spared the island’s oil infrastructure.
The US and Israel are both believed to be keen on seizing Kharg at some point in the war, The Post reported last week.
