The US is deploying thousands of additional Marines to the Middle East amid reports that President Trump is considering launching ground operations in Iran as the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic continues to escalate.
US officials told Reuters on Friday that the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which consists of about 2,200 Marines, left California and is heading to the region aboard the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship. The Boxer’s Amphibious Ready Group consists of two other warships, the USS Comstock and the USS Portland, which are expected to join the deployment.
The 11th MEU will join the 31st MEU, which is still on its way to the Middle East, giving the US a significant amphibious force to launch attacks on Iran’s Persian Gulf islands. However, it’s unlikely that any US warships could make it through the Strait of Hormuz without coming under significant missile and drone attacks.
Options the Trump administration is considering include capturing Kharg Island, through which most of Iran’s oil exports travel, though the island is deep inside the Persian Gulf. Other potential operations include attempting to seize control of Iranian ports, oil facilities, or conducting a raid to capture Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched at 60%, though it’s likely buried under rubble.
CBS News reported on Friday that Pentagon officials have made detailed preparations for deploying US ground forces into Iran. Preparations have included meetings to discuss how to handle the potential detention of Iranian soldiers.
Since launching the war on February 28, President Trump has refused to rule out the idea of putting “boots on the ground.” When asked about the possibility, Trump said on Friday, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referenced Trump’s comments but also acknowledged that the Pentagon was preparing for potential ground operations. “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality, it does not mean the President has made a decision, and as the President said in the Oval Office yesterday, he is not planning to send ground troops anywhere at this time,” she said.
