Iran has accused the United States of secretly planning a ground invasion while publicly pursuing diplomatic talks, as the ongoing conflict enters its second month. The Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that Iranian forces are prepared to confront any land attack, warning that they are 'waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire.'
US President Donald Trump has added to tensions by suggesting that Iran's key oil export hub on Kharg Island could be taken 'very easily.' In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump expressed a preference to 'take the oil' from Iran, though he noted that indirect talks via Pakistani emissaries were progressing well. He also mentioned that a ceasefire deal could be reached 'fairly quickly,' but declined to provide specifics.
The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, with thousands of American soldiers and marines arriving in the Middle East. Options under discussion include seizing Kharg Island and conducting raids near the Strait of Hormuz to destroy weapons threatening shipping. The White House has sent mixed signals, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that planning is intended to give Trump 'maximum optionality.'
Meanwhile, the conflict has seen further escalation, with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis entering the war for the first time. The Israeli air force intercepted two drones launched from Yemen, and a UN peacekeeper was killed by a projectile at a position in southern Lebanon. The UN peacekeeping mission Unifil has launched an investigation into the incident.
Trump has claimed that the US-Israel war has achieved regime change in Iran, citing the number of Iranian leaders killed. He told reporters that the US is now dealing with 'a whole different group of people' in Iran, suggesting that the leadership has been effectively replaced.
