The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering sending thousands of additional American troops to the Middle East as it prepares for possible next steps in its military campaign against Iran, according to Reuters. The report cited one US official and three other people familiar with the discussions. Reports Tengrinews.kz.
Sources said the next phase could include protecting oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz, mainly with air and naval forces. However, some plans being discussed could also involve placing US troops on Iran’s coast or deploying ground forces to Kharg Island, a major hub for Iranian oil exports.
Officials have also reportedly examined the idea of using American troops to secure Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. Experts say such a mission would be extremely difficult and risky, even for special operations forces.
Any use of US ground troops would likely bring serious political risks for Trump. Public support in the United States for the Iran campaign remains low, while Trump previously promised voters he would avoid dragging the country into new conflicts in the Middle East. Reuters noted that Trump has recently refused to rule out a “ground presence” in Iran.
The latest escalation began after Israeli forces struck Iran’s oil and gas sector. In response, Tehran attacked the largest gas processing plant in Qatar and identified additional targets in neighboring Arab states.
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