U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 20 that the U.S. is considering “winding down” its military operation in Iran, adding that other countries would need to police the Strait of Hormuz, reported many media as headline news, including the Wall Street Journal. Earlier on March 20, the President said he could “have dialogue” with Iranian leaders, but added, “I don’t want to do a ceasefire…. You don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side.”
And yet, preparations for sending a larger contingent of ground troops are reportedly underway. Senior military commanders have submitted specific requests aimed at preparing for such an option, as President Trump weighs moves in the U.S.-Israel-led conflict with Iran, [unnamed sources told CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-iran-ground-troop-preparations). Trump has been deliberating whether to position ground forces in the region, sources claimed. It was unclear under what circumstances he would authorize the use of troops on the ground, however.
In addition to the two Marine Expeditionary Units already on their way, the U.S. is preparing to deploy elements of the 82nd Airborne Division into the Middle East region, CBS claims.
The Iranians have promised a shocking response if the U.S. does launch a ground operation, whether targetting Kharg Island or some other location in Iran. “In response to the start of the war against the nation and the assassination of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, a regional war was launched,” an unnamed military source [told Tasnim. “When our energy infrastructure was hit, all the energy infrastructures in the region became inactive, and this time too, we are ready, so that if the terrorist Trump makes a mistake in this regard, we will have a surprise for him in a way that he will not even be able to remove the coffins of his soldiers from our land.”
The source at the same time added that the destruction of Iranian islands will lead to the destruction of the coastal areas of the U.A.E., and of course, Dubai and Abu Dhabi may not be “merely” in the initial stages of this attack.
