Pentagon's quiet preparation signals a major shift in Iran war

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon has warned that U.S. troops could be deployed on the ground in Iran as the White House considers whether to dramatically escalate the ongoing war with Tehran, now in its fifth week.

Thousands of Marines have recently arrived in the Middle East, with additional forces en route, including elite U.S. Army paratroopers and ships equipped for amphibious landings on Iranian shores. The deployment of these specialized forces is widely viewed as possible preparation for targeted operations on Iranian soil, including islands in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf, rather than a full-scale invasion.

President Donald Trump has stated he is "not putting troops anywhere," but has also told reporters he would not publicly disclose any future ground operations should he authorize U.S. boots on Iranian soil.

The potential for deepening U.S. involvement in the Middle East has fractured MAGA, as the prospect of additional U.S. lives being lost in a foreign conflict recalls the Iraq War and extended fighting in Afghanistan.

Ground operations would almost certainly result in significantly higher troop casualties, beyond the 13 U.S. service personnel already killed in the past month, with at least 300 wounded.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in Grapevine, Texas, on Saturday, Bannon warned: "Your sons, daughters, granddaughters, grandsons could be on Kharg Island or be holding a beachhead down by the Strait of Hormuz."

Trump has threatened attacks on Iranian territory while simultaneously insisting the U.S. is negotiating with Iran, telling reporters the U.S. "can take out" Kharg Island "at any time." The island, located 15 miles off the mainland, is crucial to Iran's economy, accounting for 90 percent of Tehran's oil exports. U.S. forces bombed the island earlier this month, targeting naval mine sites.

Military experts suggest U.S. troops could also seize Qeshm Island, located south of Kharg, which is believed to house anti-ship missile, mine, and drone stockpiles in an extensive underground network.

Seizing Iranian territory in the Strait of Hormuz or Persian Gulf could compel Tehran to ease its blockade of the waterway, a vital shipping route through which 20 percent of the world's oil and gas ordinarily passes. Since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, Iran has blocked tankers and cargo ships from safely transiting the strait, sending global oil and gas prices soaring and disrupting financial markets.

The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran. U.S. Special Forces would likely lead raids alongside infantry troops rather than conduct a full-scale invasion, according to anonymous U.S. officials.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pentagon's role was "to make preparations in order to give the commander in chief maximum optionality," while emphasizing that "it does not mean the president has made a decision."

U.S. Marines aboard the USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East on Friday, with thousands more Marines en route from the U.S. West Coast and paratroopers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division being deployed to the region.

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