Pentagon prepares for ground operation in Iran… “Considering deploying forces to Kharg Island”

It has been confirmed that the U.S. Department of Defense is drawing up plans for a multi-week ground operation targeting nuclear facilities and key military hubs inside Iran. Depending on whether President Donald Trump gives final approval, the Middle East conflict is expected to enter a perilous phase in which it could expand into ground warfare.

According to The Washington Post on the 28th (local time), U.S. defense officials said, “Thousands of U.S. Army and Marine personnel are arriving in the Middle East,” adding that they are “preparing a ground operation that could be deployed immediately depending on President Trump’s decision.” Analysts say the operation is more likely to take the form of precise raids combining special operations forces with regular infantry rather than a full-scale invasion.

Specific targets were also discussed. Sources say that internal administration deliberations reviewed options including seizing Kharg Island, a key oil-export hub in the Persian Gulf, and launching a surprise attack on coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz. One official explained, “The goal is to locate and destroy Iranian weapons systems that threaten merchant ships and warships,” adding that “it will take several weeks, or as long as about two months, to complete the operation.”

In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The Pentagon’s preparations are only to provide the commander in chief with the widest possible range of options,” adding, “The president has not made a final decision.”

A former senior defense official with deep knowledge of U.S. military operations said, “This ground-operation plan has already been reviewed extensively and even completed wargaming,” stressing, “This is not a last-minute, hastily assembled plan.”

The official added, “Occupying Iranian territory could humiliate the Iranian regime and serve as a powerful card in future negotiations,” while noting, “Seizing Kharg Island and the like is not difficult in itself, but the biggest challenge will be protecting and sustaining the forces deployed against an Iranian counterattack.”