The United States Department of Defense has prepared detailed options for weeks of ground operations inside Iran, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, March 28, 2026, as Tehran’s parliament speaker responded with a blunt warning that American soldiers entering Iranian territory would be burned alive.
The report, citing multiple unnamed United States officials, marks a significant escalation in the planning phase of Operation Epic Fury, now in its fifth week, and comes as NewsGhana previously reported the deployment of the 82nd Airborne Division to the region.
The plans could involve raids by Special Operations and conventional infantry troops, the Washington Post reported, though whether President Donald Trump would approve any of those plans remains uncertain.
According to the Post, the potential operations could see a mixture of special forces and conventional infantry sent to conduct extended raids into coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz, including seizing islands controlled by Iran and holding them for an extended period. Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports and has been described by Trump as Iran’s “crown jewel,” has emerged as the most discussed objective in internal Pentagon deliberations.
Iran moved swiftly to respond. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of pursuing a dual strategy, saying: “The enemy openly sends messages of negotiation and dialogue, but secretly is planning a ground attack.” He added that American forces were “unaware that our men are waiting for American soldiers to enter on the ground so they can set them ablaze and punish their regional partners forever.”
CNN separately reported that Iran has been actively reinforcing Kharg Island’s defenses, laying anti-personnel and anti-armor mines along shorelines where US Marines could stage an amphibious landing, while additional shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems have been positioned across the island.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Saturday that an amphibious task force of approximately 3,500 Marines and sailors had arrived in the region, led by the USS Tripoli, carrying aircraft and amphibious assault capabilities. The Pentagon is also considering sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops, who would join the Marines and the Fort Bragg-based paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division already ordered to the region, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The human cost of the conflict continues to mount. Thirteen United States service members have been killed in action and nearly 300 wounded since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28. An Iranian missile and drone attack on Friday injured twelve troops at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, two of them seriously, and damaged multiple aircraft including an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System and several KC-135 tankers.
The White House sought to temper the ground war speculation without denying it. “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the President has made a decision,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Trump told reporters earlier in the month that he was “not putting troops anywhere,” though he added: “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
Gulf allies are privately urging Washington against a ground occupation, warning that boots on Kharg Island would likely trigger Iranian retaliation against Gulf infrastructure and prolong the conflict significantly. Gulf states are instead pressing for the dismantlement of Iran’s ballistic missile programme before any ceasefire.
Diplomatic efforts are running in parallel. Pakistan is hosting the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt on Sunday for two days of de-escalation talks, with United States envoy Steve Witkoff expected to hold direct talks with Iranian counterparts in Islamabad within the week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Iran had not yet formally responded to a 15-point peace proposal, but indicated there was “a willingness to talk about certain things” from the Iranian side.
United States Central Command said more than 11,000 targets have been struck since the operation began, underscoring the scale of the campaign as diplomacy and escalation run simultaneously.
