The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for potential ground operations in Iran amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, according to Washington Post sources. The planned military action would involve special operations forces and conventional infantry troops conducting targeted raids rather than a full-scale invasion. Primary objectives include seizing control of Kharg Island, Iran’s crucial oil export terminal, or neutralizing weapons systems threatening shipping lanes in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Military strategists are expressing significant concerns about the operational viability of such missions. Michael Eisenstadt, director of the Military and Security Studies Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, highlighted the extreme vulnerability American forces would face on Kharg Island, stating troops could be subjected to continuous drone and artillery attacks from mainland Iran.
These concerns were reinforced by Retired General Joseph Votel, former head of US Central Command, who warned that occupying Iranian territory would place American soldiers in a state of perpetual danger from coastal-based missile systems and drone warfare.
The conflict has expanded significantly with the Houthi militia’s entry into the confrontation. The Yemen-based group claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack against Israel, opening a new front in the regional conflict. Security analysts note the Houthis possess the capability to shut down the Bab al-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, which would dramatically exacerbate the global economic crisis already triggered by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Professor Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King’s College London, argues that the Trump administration has strategically painted itself into a corner. Despite weeks of aerial assaults by US and Israeli forces, the Iranian regime shows no signs of collapsing. Freedman contends that success in warfare should be measured by political objectives achieved rather than damage inflicted, noting that the administration’s goals of regime change or establishing a compliant leadership in Tehran remain unfulfilled while global economic disruption continues to escalate.