The Pentagon is reportedly weighing the deployment of around 3,000 troops to bolster US-Israeli military operations against Iran, now in its fourth week. According to The New York Times, senior defence officials are considering sending the Army's 82nd Airborne Division's Immediate Response Force, a combat brigade capable of deploying paratroopers and equipment anywhere in the world within 18 hours.
The combat brigade, along with elements of the 82nd Airborne's headquarters staff, could be used to seize Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal. However, defence officials cautioned that no orders have been issued by the Pentagon or US Central Command, which oversees the Middle East. The Pentagon declined to comment, citing operational security.
President Donald Trump previously announced that Central Command had executed a major bombing raid on Kharg Island, but he chose not to destroy its oil infrastructure. He warned that if Iran interferes with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, he would reconsider. Iran has effectively closed the strait, a critical waterway for global oil supplies, by threatening to attack vessels.
Oil prices have surged amid the conflict, with Brent crude briefly exceeding $119 per barrel before dropping to $99.94 after Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure. The president stated that the US and Iran had productive talks over the weekend regarding a resolution to hostilities, and the postponement is subject to the success of ongoing discussions.
