The United States conducting a ground operation in Iran remains one of the possible options under consideration by US President Donald Trump.
Oxu.Az reports, citing Interfax, that this was stated by Daniel Zimmerman, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Affairs, during a speech at Congress.
"The President keeps all possible options on the table," Zimmerman said in response to lawmakers' questions during a hearing in the House Armed Services Committee.
According to The New York Times, the US currently has 5,000 ground troops deployed near the Strait of Hormuz, awaiting orders in combat readiness.
Reportedly, three amphibious ships moving eastward in the Strait of Hormuz carry an expeditionary battalion of 2,500 marines. The marines are said to be actively involved in blocking trade ships linked to Iran.
Additionally, approximately 2,000 soldiers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division are deployed in the Middle East. US Defense Department officials have not disclosed their specific location.
According to American military officials, the airborne forces could be used alongside marines to seize strategically important areas, such as Kharg Island, considered a key hub for Iranian oil exports.
