The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli has arrived in the West Asia, U.S. Central Command said on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo credit: X/@CENTCOM
The Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran — potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz — though President Donald Trump has not yet approved any deployment, the Washington Post reported on Saturday (March 28, 2026).
Any ground operation would stop short of a full-scale invasion, instead involving raids by special operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the Post said, citing unnamed officials.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Friday the United States “can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops,” but the Post said planning is advanced, with one official saying: “This is not last-minute planning.”
Published – March 29, 2026 07:17 am IST
