Iran War and U.S. Military Planning

The Trump administration has ordered additional Marines and amphibious ships to the Middle East — including roughly 2,200 Marines from the 31st MEU aboard USS Tripoli and another ~2,500 Marines from the 11th MEU with three amphibious assault ships such as USS Boxer — while Pentagon planners have developed detailed contingency plans, including potential deployments of elements of the 82nd Airborne and the Global Response Force and procedures for detaining captured Iranian personnel. Among options under discussion is an amphibious operation to seize Iran’s Kharg Island to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or secure sensitive material, a high‑risk, major combat operation likely to draw Iranian missile, drone and mine attacks; the White House says it is “not planning to send ground troops” even as planning and deployments continue.