Trump Administration assesses ground operations in Iran that could last for weeks

The Washington Post revealed Saturday that the Pentagon is preparing for a possible expansion of military operations in Iran, to the point that several officials in President Donald Trump's administration have indicated that ground missions could last for weeks if authorized by the Republican leader. The media outlet noted that some officials speaking on condition of anonymity noted that any operation would likely avoid a full-scale invasion and would instead rely on a combination of Special Operations forces and conventional units to conduct targeted raids.

As reported by the Post, several internal discussions have included possible targeted operations against Kharg Island and coastal strikes near the Strait of Hormuz to neutralize threats to shipping. Administration officials told the newspaper that these missions could take "weeks, not months," although some estimates extend them to "a couple of months." Despite these considerations, Trump previously told reporters, "I'm not sending troops anywhere. If I did, I certainly wouldn't tell them, but I'm not sending troops." On the other hand, other media outlets such as Axios and The Wall Street Journal have gone so far as to suggest that additional troop deployments could be considered.

The possibility of ground operations comes amid rising casualties and growing internal opposition. In the past month, 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while more than 300 have been wounded in retaliatory attacks across the region. Some polls show that a majority of Americans oppose sending ground troops to Iran, although opinions are more divided on the use of airstrikes. Military analysts have even warned that operations in areas such as Kharg Island carry significant risks because of Iran's drone and missile capabilities, with some suggesting that more mobile and limited incursions would be safer than maintaining control of territory.

The administration has sent mixed signals in recent days, alternating between suggesting the war could be coming to an end and warning of further escalation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that if Tehran does not abandon its nuclear ambitions, Trump is "prepared to unleash hell." For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that the conflict "will not be protracted" and suggested that U.S. objectives could be achieved without deploying ground troops.