Pentagon preparing for US ground assault in Iran, says report

The Pentagon is preparing options for a ground assault in Iran, as thousands of US troops and marines arrive in the Middle East, The Washington Post reported on Saturday. 

Citing US officials, the report said any such operation would not be a full-scale invasion, but could involve raids by a mixture of conventional infantry and special operations forces. 

As of Saturday, it was not clear whether US President Donald Trump had approved any of the Pentagon’s plans. 

US personnel would be exposed to significant risks if such a mission were carried out, including threats from Iranian drones and missiles, improvised explosives and ground fire. 

US officials said that recent discussions referred to a possible seizure of Kharg Island, Iran’s crucial oil export hub in the Gulf. 

“You’ve got to provide cover for the people on Kharg Island,” one official said. “That’s the difficult task. Seizing it is not difficult. Protecting your guys once they are there is.”

The administration has also discussed raids into coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz to find and destroy weapons targeting international shipping. 

Read more: Pentagon preparing for US ground assault in Iran, says report