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ARCHIVE - Members of the XVIII. Airborne Corps receive US President Trump. Photo: Matt Ramey/AP/dpa (archive image)
Keystone
According to media reports, the US military has prepared plans for a possible deployment of ground troops in Iran. The potential ground offensive would involve a combination of regular infantry and special forces troops, but would not be a full-scale invasion, as the Washington Post reported, citing US officials. Several weeks would be planned for such a deployment.
A ground operation would mean an escalation into a dangerous new phase of the conflict, the newspaper writes. This is because US soldiers on the ground would be exposed to considerably more dangers than before, such as bombardment by Iranian drones and missiles, battles and improvised explosive devices. It was unclear whether US President Donald Trump intends to approve the plans.
According to the Washington Post's sources, who spoke anonymously about the highly sensitive military plans, preparations for a possible offensive on the ground have been underway for weeks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said that the US could achieve its war aims without ground troops. However, Rubio did not want to categorically rule out the use of ground troops.
A few days ago, the "Axios" portal also reported on military plans that envisage the use of ground troops in addition to bombing for a "final strike" to end the war against Iran. According to Axios, possible scenarios include the capture or blockade of strategically important islands in the Strait of Hormuz, such as Kharg, where Iran handles a large proportion of its oil exports.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that the up to 10,000 additional US soldiers currently being considered for deployment to the Gulf region are likely to be infantrymen.
29.03.2026, 11:34
