The United States is expanding its military presence in the Middle East while increasing pressure on Iran amid ongoing strikes and debate over the future of the Strait of Hormuz. According to US Central Command, since February 28 American aircraft and missiles have hit more than 9,000 military targets inside Iran.
Reuters, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and other outlets report that units of the 82nd Airborne Division and Marine expeditionary forces are being sent to the region. The deployment involves several thousand paratroopers and about 2,200 Marines, while the Pentagon is also considering sending up to 10,000 additional troops, according to the WSJ.
Michael Eisenstadt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy told Fox News that the buildup is meant to pressure Tehran into accepting Donald Trump’s ceasefire terms and restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz; if Iran refuses, the US could gain new military options.
One of the main focal points is Kharg Island, through which up to 90% of Iran’s oil exports pass. Axios sources listed several escalation scenarios: seizing or blockading Kharg, an operation against Larak Island, taking Abu Musa and nearby islands, and intercepting ships carrying Iranian oil. The White House, however, says such ground scenarios remain hypothetical for now.
CNN and Politico sources say Iran is preparing for a possible landing: Kharg’s garrison has been reinforced, portable air defense systems have been deployed, and the coastline has been mined. Military analysts David Sharp and Sergey Migdal argue that the forces now concentrated in the area could be enough for limited island-seizure operations, but not for a full-scale invasion of Iran, which they say would require at least 200,000 troops.
Political risks also remain significant. Reuters notes that any use of ground troops could hurt Trump domestically. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on March 24 found that 35% of Americans approve of the strikes on Iran, while 61% disapprove.