Reuters: US considers military reinforcements as Iran war intensifies

President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing the deployment of thousands of US troops to strengthen its Middle East operations, as the military prepares potential next steps in its campaign against Iran, according to a US official and three individuals familiar with the discussions.

The potential deployments could offer Trump broader strategic flexibility as he considers expanding US involvement, with the Iran conflict now entering its third week, Reuters reports.

Among the options under review is ensuring secure passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a task expected to rely largely on air and naval forces. However, multiple sources noted that such a mission could also involve positioning US troops along Iran’s coastline.

Officials have also explored the possibility of sending ground forces to Iran’s Kharg Island, which accounts for roughly 90% of the country’s oil exports. Both officials and sources familiar with the matter emphasised the high level of risk tied to such an operation, given Iran’s capability to strike the island with missiles and drones.

The United States conducted strikes on military targets on the island on March 13, and Trump has previously warned of potential attacks on critical oil infrastructure. Still, military analysts suggest that taking control of the island could be strategically preferable to destroying it, considering its central role in Iran’s economy.

Any move to deploy US ground forces—even on a limited scale—could carry serious political consequences for Trump, particularly in light of weak public support for the Iran campaign and his earlier commitments to avoid new military entanglements in the Middle East.

Discussions have also included the option of deploying US forces to secure Iran’s reserves of highly enriched uranium, according to one source. Experts caution that such a mission would be extremely complex and dangerous, even for elite special operations units.

Sources stressed that no immediate deployment of ground forces inside Iran is expected, while also declining to disclose details of operational planning.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "There has been no decision to send ground troops at this time, but President Trump wisely keeps all options at his disposal.

"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 destabilise the region, and guarantee that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon."

By Jeyhun Aghazada