Kharg Island next target? US readies possible ground operation in Iran, sends more troops: Report

The United States is preparing for a possible weeks-long ground operation in Iran, with Kharg Island emerging as a potential target, according to reports.

The Pentagon is drawing up options that could involve raids by Special Operations forces as well as conventional infantry units, The Washington Post reported, adding that US President Donald Trump has not made a final decision.

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“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,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the report.

The plans come as Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, has emerged as a possible focal point of any ground operation. The island, located off Iran’s coast, is central to Tehran’s energy exports and has an estimated storage capacity of about 31 million barrels.

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US forces have previously struck military targets on the island, though oil infrastructure was spared. Trump had said at the time that the United States chose to “spare” those facilities.

The military build-up in the region has intensified. The US Central Command said on Saturday that about 3,500 Sailors and Marines, along with aircraft and amphibious assets, have arrived aboard the USS Tripoli as part of an amphibious ready group.

“U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27. The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit composed of about 3,500 Sailors and Marines in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets,” the command said.

Separate reports from CNN indicated that thousands of US personnel have been deployed to the region, though their exact destination has not been disclosed. Speculation has grown that some of these forces could be assigned to operations involving Kharg Island.

Reuters has also reported that the US has deployed Marines to the Middle East and is considering sending thousands of additional troops, including elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, as the conflict enters its second month.