On March 20, the United States decided to send thousands of additional troops to the Middle East, just as the war against Iran was closing its third week. The deployment of the USS Boxer—an amphibious assault ship—along with its Marine Expeditionary Unit and the warships escorting it, totaling over 4,000 soldiers, indicated that operations were far from over and that the Pentagon was not ruling out any scenario, including putting troops on the ground.
These additional deployments added to the 50,000 troops in the region. Since then, more reinforcements have been approved. First, another 2,000 paratroopers amid serious rumors of a possible attempt to take Jark Island to rebuild its damaged airfield. The specialists are part of the Immediate Response Force of the 82nd Airborne Division, led by Major General Brandon R. Tegtmeier with two battalions, each with around 800 soldiers. Combined with the nearly 4,500 Marines already on their way, the additional deployment of elite Army forces (ground troops) since the beginning of the war reaches nearly 7,000.
On March 11, the USS Tripoli departed from Okinawa with 3,500 sailors. Today, the US Army Central Command (Centcom) has reported that they have been deployed but without specifying the exact location of the ship.
Donald Trump doesn't know what to do. All information published by US media shows an indecisive administration, divided between a withdrawal singing victory and further involvement, which would almost inevitably involve deploying troops, another self-imposed red line by the MAGA president in the past. Convincing the public of the benefits of a distant and costly war is challenging, much more so the use of troops that would undoubtedly increase casualties.
This Friday, some reports suggested that the president is "bored" of Iran and wants to move on, just after announcing a second extension to the ultimatum he himself gave to Iran over the past weekend, threatening to destroy all its energy infrastructure if it did not immediately unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Others mention the attempt to place Vice President JD Vance, supposedly one of the administration members most reluctant to interventions in the Middle East, in charge of negotiations. After Washington sent a 15-point 'peace plan' to Tehran through Pakistan's mediation and speculated about a one-month ceasefire. The Iranian counterproposal was expected in Washington on Friday afternoon. "We are waiting for more information on who we will talk to, what we will talk about, and when we will talk," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "It could happen at any time," he added, saying that a ground operation is not essential, but the duty of the entire government is to provide the president with options to choose from. Meanwhile, envoy Steve Witkoff hinted at possible "meetings this week."
According to Axios, Vance had a very tense call with Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, where he reportedly reproached that some of the scenarios Israel considered secure, such as a civil revolution, had not occurred. Regarding the objectives of Operation Epic Fury, they are shared but not identical. The administration's messages to allies indicate that the fight may continue for a few more weeks but will not become entrenched.
However, according to The Wall Street Journal, amid numerous possibilities, the Pentagon wants to play it safe. If they receive the order to escalate, assuming it would be over the weekend or during the Easter holidays when the market is closed, they want to have an overwhelming force, keeping all options open. Therefore, they are considering mobilizing up to 10,000 additional ground troops. "It is not clear where exactly these forces would be deployed in the Middle East, but they would likely be near Iran and Jark Island, a crucial oil export center off the Iranian coast," the newspaper states.
To date, 303 US military personnel have been injured in the war, according to CNN: over 75% of the total injuries are related to traumatic brain injuries, and almost all are mild. Of the injured, 273 have already returned to service, with only 10 in serious condition.