US Prepares Ground Attack Scenarios Against Iran, Trump Has Not Yet Made a Decision
Ankara (ANTARA) - The United States Department of Defense is preparing scenarios for a ground attack on Iran in the coming weeks amid the deployment of US personnel to the Middle East, although the decision on a ground operation remains in the hands of President Donald Trump.
According to a Washington Post report on Saturday, officials stated that the plan could mark a “new phase of the war” that would be “significantly more dangerous” for US forces than the operations that have been ongoing for the past four weeks.
The planned ground operation would not be a full-scale invasion but could include raids by special operations personnel and infantry, according to unnamed officials.
However, such operations would expose US personnel to threats from “drones and missiles, ground fire, and improvised explosive devices”.
“The Pentagon’s task is to prepare so that the Commander-in-Chief has the most optimal options,” said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, as quoted by the US media outlet.
“That does not mean the President has made a decision,” Leavitt added.
Among the scenarios being discussed are operations against Kharg Island, a key oil export point for Iran, and raid operations along the coast of the Strait of Hormuz to address shipping threats.
Officials said the mission could last “several weeks, not several months”, while other officials estimated the operation would last “several months”.
Trump had previously stated that he “would not deploy personnel anywhere”.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio emphasised that a war with Iran “would not be a prolonged war” because the war’s objectives could be achieved “without deploying ground forces”.
According to officials, 13 US military personnel have been killed and more than 300 others injured in various attacks in the Gulf region since the war broke out at the end of February 2026.
Public opinion on the deployment of US ground forces to Iran is divided, with a poll finding that 62 percent of respondents oppose a ground attack on Iran, and only 12 percent support it.
Military expert Michael Eisenstadt highlighted the risks that would be faced if ground forces were indeed deployed to Iran, saying “I don’t want to be in a place that small with Iran’s ability to rain down drones on them”.
He also emphasised the importance of the mobility aspect, because “agility is part of force protection”.
Tensions in the Gulf region have escalated since Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran on 28 February, killing more than 1,300 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks on Israel as well as areas in Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
The counterattacks have resulted in casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and aviation.
Source: Anadolu