The Pentagon is reportedly preparing to deploy around 3,000 soldiers from the Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East to support operations related to Iran, according to two US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal reports that in the next few days, defence officials are anticipated to formally declare the division’s deployment of a brigade combat team.
The possible deployment of the 82nd Airborne might provide President Donald Trump with more strategic options, even though officials stressed that no decision has been made to send ground soldiers into Iran. Depending on future choices, they might include initiatives to protect vital locations, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or conduct targeted missions.
Another possibility being considered, should President Trump authorize U.S. troops to seize the island, is an attack by about 2,500 troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is on its way to the region.
READ ALSO: Strait Of Hormuz: What It Is, and Why It Is Crucial In The Current M’ East Crisis
The U.S. Army’s rapid-response force, the 82nd Airborne’s combat brigade, can deploy anywhere in the world in a day. The force, which has received airborne operations training, specialises in parachuting into contested or hostile areas to secure airfields and strategic locations.
Meanwhile, the UK is getting ready to spearhead a global naval initiative to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz if hostilities subside.
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