US lawmakers have reacted to reports that the Pentagon is preparing for ground operations in Iran, as an additional 3,500 American troops arrive in the Middle East. Officials told the Washington Post that any ground operation could be limited to raids by special forces or infantry, but it remains unclear whether President Donald Trump will approve the plans.
Republican Senator James Lankford, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, said he had not ruled out supporting troops on the ground but stressed the need for clear objectives. “If this is special forces to carry out a specific operation – get in, get out – that’s very different from a longstanding occupation,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasised that Pentagon preparations do not mean the president has made a decision.
The US military build-up includes options to secure the Strait of Hormuz, seize Iran’s highly enriched uranium, or take control of Iranian oil facilities. Trump has previously stated he was “not putting troops anywhere”, amid divisions within his base over foreign engagements and the need for congressional approval. Lankford noted that the requirement for congressional authorisation depends on the nature of the deployment.
Meanwhile, an Iranian missile strike destroyed a US E-3 Sentry early warning aircraft at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia, the first known combat loss of its kind. The Pentagon has reportedly requested an additional $200bn for the war, on top of its annual $1tn budget. Democratic Senator Cory Booker called the situation “one of the greatest presidential blunders of our time”, warning of a conflict with no clear exit strategy.
