19.03.2026 12:21
The attacks initiated by the US and Israel against Iran continue on their 20th day. It is reported that the US, considering increasing troop numbers, wants to support airstrikes with ground operations. A White House official stated that no final decision has been made, but Trump is keeping this option on the table. In a possible ground operation by the US, the focus will be on the shores of the Strait of Hormuz, Hark Island, and uranium depots.
The attacks initiated by the US-Israel on Iran on February 28 continue on their 20th day.
Washington is discussing expanding its military strategy from air strikes to ground operations. Officials speaking to Reuters stated that the US could use ground forces to control strategic areas. According to Reuters' report, three regions will be prioritized in a possible ground intervention.
HERE ARE THE 3 REGIONS CONSIDERED FOR TROOP DEPLOYMENT
Coast of the Strait of Hormuz: Establishing buffer zones along Iran's coastline to ensure the safe passage of oil tankers and neutralizing missile batteries from the ground.
Hark Island: Completely taking control of this strategic island, where 90% of Iran's oil exports occur. Experts indicate that completely destroying the infrastructure on the island would be costly, thus "capturing and managing" it is seen as a more logical option.
Uranium depots: Securing or transporting Iran's enriched uranium stocks to the US. This operation is said to be the riskiest and most complex mission for the American Special Forces.
FINAL DECISION NOT MADE
A White House official stated that no final decision has been made regarding ground operations, but President Trump is keeping this option among the alternatives. It was emphasized that the US's primary goals are to eliminate Iran's ballistic missile capacity, completely destroy its navy, sever ties with regional proxy groups, and permanently prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
US CONSIDERING DEPLOYING MORE TROOPS
The US is evaluating the deployment of thousands more troops in addition to 5,000 Marines to the Middle East. It is noted that Trump's decision aims to "strengthen" operations.
"IRAN'S URANIUM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM HAS BEEN DISABLED"
US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard shared an important detail regarding the ongoing air operations. Gabbard stated that Iran's uranium enrichment program has been paralyzed by heavy bombardments and that the entrances of underground facilities have been "sealed with special munitions."
PENTAGON REQUESTED A $200 BILLION BUDGET
While these events are happening on the ground, it was reported that the Pentagon has approached the White House with a request for a budget of over $200 billion to finance attacks on Iran.
According to a report by the Washington Post, it remains uncertain how much budget the White House will request from Congress, and the Department of Defense has proposed different funding packages on this matter over the past two weeks.
The report indicated that the mentioned figure would exceed the cost of air operations conducted by the Trump administration to date, and some senior White House officials are said to be skeptical about the likelihood of the request being approved by Congress. It was noted that this request would particularly face resistance from Congress members opposed to the conflict.
The report claimed that the Department of Defense refused to comment on the matter, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
US-ISRAEL ATTACKS ON IRAN
Israel and the US launched a military attack on Iran on February 28 while negotiations were ongoing between the Tehran and Washington administrations.
Iran responded with attacks on targets it identified in several regional countries, including Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain, where US bases are located, in addition to Israel.
In the US-Israel attacks, Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, along with many high-ranking officials, was killed.
According to Iranian officials, the death toll from the US-Israel attacks has exceeded 1,348, and the number of injured has surpassed 17,000.