The Pentagon has made detailed preparations for a possible deployment of U.S. ground forces into Iran, according to CBS News, as President Donald Trump continues to weigh military options in the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. The report said that high-ranking military leaders made specific requests to get ready for this kind of situation, but it is still not clear when Trump would allow troops to be on the ground.
The White House said that no such choice has been made. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS News that the Pentagon’s job is to give the commander in chief options. She also said that this doesn’t mean Trump has agreed to send troops on the ground. She also said Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, was “not planning to send ground troops anywhere at this time.” CBS News separately reported that Trump told reporters, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere,” before adding, “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
The administration is thinking about other military pressure options in the area, which is why the discussion is happening. Axios said on Friday that officials are thinking about plans to take over or block Iran’s Kharg Island in order to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The report said that more troops would be required for this kind of operation. Axios also said that three Marine units are already on their way to the area and that the White House and Pentagon are thinking about sending more troops.
Even though Trump has said that no deployment is planned right now, he has left the door open publicly. A March 2 report from the New York Post says that Trump did not share the usual reluctance many presidents have about “boots on the ground.” He said he would not rule out that option if he thought it was necessary.
For now, the latest official position from the White House is that Pentagon planning is meant to preserve options, not signal a final decision. What happens next appears to depend on Trump’s assessment of the war and whether he decides the conflict requires a larger U.S. military role.
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