Illustrative image. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Aubree Clute)
The United States will deploy elements of the elite 82nd Airborne Division into the Middle East region as a part of detailed preparations by the Pentagon for sending American ground forces into Iran, CBS News reported on March 20, citing multiple sources briefed on the discussions.
The 82nd Airborne Division specializes in parachute assault with a strength of over 15,000 paratroops. The division, a part of the XVIII Airborne Corps, consists of three infantry brigade combat teams, a combat aviation brigade, a sustainment brigade, and division artillery.
The sources who spoke to CBS News said that senior military commanders submitted specific requests aimed at preparing for such an option as President Donald Trump weighs moves in the American-Israeli war on Iran.
The military also held meetings to prepare for how to handle the possible detention of Iranian soldiers and paramilitary operatives if Trump decides to put American boots on the ground – including where the Iranians would be sent, two of the sources said.
The planning involves the Army’s Global Response Force and the Marine Corps’ Marine Expeditionary Unit, according to the report.
“No, I’m not putting troops anywhere,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on March 19 when asked about ground troops, but quickly added: “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
In a statement cited by CBS News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “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.”
The 31st and 11th Marine Expeditionary Units are already on their way to the Middle East, with close to 5,000 marines aboard multiple amphibious assault ships.
A recent Axios report revealed that Trump is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The report also said that three, not just two, marine units are on their way to the Middle East, although it didn’t provide any further details.
The 82nd Airborne Division could aid the marines in such a mission, even possibly parachuting on the Iranian coast line parallel to Kharg to secure it.
The island is the Islamic Republic’s most critical maritime oil export hub, handling roughly 90-95 percent of its crude exports. U.S. strikes hit military targets on the island on March 13 and Trump has since threatened to also strike its critical oil infrastructure.
It is also possible that the 82nd Airborne Division would be sent to a whole other part of Iran to take control of the Islamic Republic’s highly enriched uranium. A recent report by Reuters revealed that an operation to capture the uranium is one of the options being considered by Trump currently.
The uranium is reported to be stored at an underground tunnel complex within the Isfahan nuclear facility, in the heart of Iran.
Trump may be sending the marines and the paratroops to pressure Iran, but the cost of the deployment indicates that an American ground operation in the Islamic Republic is very likely. It is still unclear, however, if Israel is preparing to take part in such an operation.
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the jews drove the crusaders stupid. the crusaders spat on the cross and kissed its ass. the pope knew exactly how to deal with the crusaders. martin luther knew exactly what the jews were like.the inquisition knew exactly what to do with the jews.if the russians had done something similar to a jew born to a jewish woman named shelomov, they wouldn’t have died for a few square miles of ukraine. it’s a shame that mark rutte is a fool and not as smart as the king was when he established the
a few square miles of ukraine. is that what you call 20-25% of the biggest country in europe? nerd
into the wood chipper trump’s troops go.
inquisition and the pope when he killed the crusaders, and he doesn’t do the same with maga. above all, russians should know that putler was born to a one-eyed jewish woman named shelomova and that putler’s father gouged out her eye with a fork. a complete fool born to two complete fools. so i hope xi jinping shakes hands with newsom when newsom bombs the traitorous alawites and russians in pussia
you really have issues with reality don’t you? at least you believe in your own fairytales, what does it feel like to be your own biggest fan?
of course israel isn’t going to lead, they need the cheeseburgers to go in first. “the chosen people” will not risk too many of their own lives to bully iran into submission
pfc chip munk and corporal willie makeit, both from raccoonville, tennessee, said, “we are all eager and happy to die for the jooz.”
if you forward fake jew news at least reformat
“israel wants the us marines to capture irans uranium in suicide mega operation”
don’t believe anything until it is officially denied. let’s hope is goes better than last time, eh boys?
it’s time to finish iran off…heheheh
we are witnessing a global slow motion train wreck caused by the jooz. the early impact can be seen in asia. 4 day week, schools and universities closed, no energy for fried meals in restaurants or use by crematoriums, people only allowed to drive on alternate days. actual energy prices far higher than official figures. but this is only the beginning. there is a time lag of about 10 days for europe. a global energy crisis and food crisis is just round the corner.