The Pentagon plans to deploy 3,000 82nd Airborne troops to the Middle East amid U.S.-Iran tensions, alongside airstrikes and 50,000 active troops, raising risks of broader conflict and control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon is preparing to send about 3,000 troops from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, in addition to the thousands of Marines that are being sent to the region to reinforce military operations in Iran.
No decisions have been made for troops to go into Iran, according to two defence officials who confirmed the deployment. The decision to deploy troops is reflective of a drastic escalation of the U.S.-Israel war against the Iranian regime and increases the potential of U.S. on-ground military invasion.
The quick reaction force of the 82nd can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours, but it is not clear if the division will deploy to the region. The troop deployment comes a month into U.S. military airstrikes targeting Iranian military forces and infrastructure and amid rising gas prices as Iranian officials restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries a fifth of the world’s oil supplies.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees the airstrikes against Iran, said on Tuesday that U.S. aircraft and missile attacks have “destroyed more than 9,000 military targets” in Iran since the attacks started on Feb. 28. The military airstrikes have also resulted in the deaths of dozens of the Iranian regime's leadership. The U.S. already has 50,000 troops active in the region. The increase indicates that there may be potential for greater involvement, possibly even taking control of the Strait of Hormuz by force. The defence officials who made the confirmation were allowed to do so anonymously.
It is worth noting that The New York Times initially reported the story that the Pentagon was considering deploying the 82nd Airborne Division. Iran continued its drone and ballistic missile attacks on Israel and other countries in the area on Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump announced he was pushing back threatened attacks on Iranian power plants due to “productive talks” toward a peace deal. Iran, however, has denied any direct talks.
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