Pentagon officials are preparing for potential ground operations in Iran, which could last for weeks, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
These potential operations wouldn’t amount to a full invasion, but could include raids by infantry troops and Special Operations forces, according to the outlet, which cited anonymous U.S. officials.
One source told the Post the goals being considered could take “weeks, not months,” while another estimated it could take “a couple of months.” It’s still unknown whether President Donald Trump will approve any of the plans, according to the report.
“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Post. “It does not mean the President has made a decision.”
This comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters the U.S. will not need to send in ground troops, and that the war “is not going to be a prolonged conflict.”
“We can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops, but we are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies, should they emerge,” he said Friday.
The Independent has contacted the White House and Pentagon for comment.
The Post reports that U.S. officials have discussed the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub. This comes amid mounting speculation about a U.S. operation to take the island.
Earlier this week, Axios reported the Pentagon is preparing several options for a “final blow” in the war with Iran, one of which could include an invasion of Kharg Island. Trump has not decided whether he’ll pursue any of these options, the outlet noted.
Iran has also bolstered its defenses of Kharg Island in case of a potential U.S. operation, CNN reported Wednesday.
Meanwhile, recent surveys have revealed growing concern about a potential ground invasion in Iran.
About 62 percent of U.S. adults “oppose deploying U.S. troops on the ground in Iran,” according to an AP-NORC survey published Wednesday.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published last week also found that 55 percent of Americans don’t support the idea. Still, about 65 percent of Americans expect Trump to launch a large-scale ground operation, the survey found.
