Where are US troops going next in the Middle East? As Trump considers ways to end the war, Iran’s uranium is in focus
A month after Donald Trump-designed war with Iran, Washington is quietly expanding its military footprint in the Middle East, sending several hundred thousand additional troops to join a growing force of Marines and Army paratroopers. US military officials told The New York Times on Sunday that the deployment was intended to give the president broader options amid rising tensions with Tehran.At present, the newly arrived commandos, which include Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, remain without any defined mission. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials said their roles were still taking shape, underscoring the fluidity of a conflict that is constantly evolving.
With a massive US military buildup in the Gulf, Trump is eyeing a bold and high-risk mission: extracting about 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium from Iran.U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal that the plan, which is still under consideration, would be fraught with complexity and risk — potentially keeping U.S. forces inside Iranian territory for days, if not more, in order to secure one of Tehran’s most sensitive assets.However, what is clear is the range of possibilities. These specialized ground forces could be tasked with securing the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for global oil flows that Iran has effectively closed off. Other scenarios under consideration include a mission to seize Kharg Island, Tehran’s vital oil hub in the northern Persian Gulf, or a campaign targeting enriched uranium reserves at the Isfahan nuclear site.They join a steady build-up: 2,500 Marines and the same number of sailors have recently arrived, bringing the total US troop level in the region to more than 50,000 – about 10,000 more than usual. The reinforcement reflects a change in the broader military stance as Trump considers his next move.Still, key questions remain unanswered. The exact role of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, now in theater, is still unclear. Officials say one focus of the discussions is how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Currently, the waterway is largely disrupted amid Iranian retaliatory attacks linked to the US-Israeli campaign.This increase comes on the heels of an already extensive US presence, with bases and naval deployments in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Still, the current numbers – although inflated – tell only part of the story.Notably absent was the USS Gerald R. Ford and its 4,500 workers. Plagued by technical problems, including an onboard fire, the carrier departed the area on 23 March, sailing via Crete before reaching Croatia. Its next destination remains uncertain.In parallel, the Pentagon has dispatched about 2,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, adding another layer of operational flexibility. Their exact location is unknown, but officials say they are located a good distance from Iran. Like the commandos, they could be directed towards Kharg island – which has already been the target of more than 90 US airstrikes this month, or could translate into broader ground operations.
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Still, military analysts caution against reading the troop buildup as a prelude to attack. The army of 50,000, many of them at sea, was far less than the number needed for a sustained land campaign. By comparison, Israel mobilized more than 300,000 troops for its Gaza offensive in October 2023, while the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 began with about 250,000 personnel.Iran, with a population of about 93 million and a vast, diverse landmass, presents a far more formidable challenge. Capturing territory, let alone conquering it, would demand far greater resources. For now, the US stance appears to be less about occupation and more about keeping options open in an escalating conflict.
