Tehran [Iran], March 26 (ANI): A day after US media said Washington was increasing its ground presence in the Persian Gulf with a possible aim of seizing Iran’s Kharg Island, Iranian forces began laying mines and moved additional troops to the island, sources say.
A CNN report, citing unnamed sources, said Iran has been placing traps, including anti-personnel and anti-armor mines, around Kharg where US troops might attempt an amphibious landing. Kharg handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports.
Reports say the Trump administration has considered using US troops to seize the island to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaker of Iran’s Parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran received intelligence that “enemies are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands” with regional support and that Iranian forces are monitoring movements. He warned on X that if such a step is taken, “all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will be targeted with relentless, unceasing attacks.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has failed to achieve key war objectives against Iran, including a quick military victory and regime change.
Al Jazeera reported the Pentagon ordered about 2,000 additional soldiers from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East from North Carolina, on top of two Marine Expeditionary Units en route: the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group from Japan and the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group from San Diego. Combined, the backup troops would add roughly 6,000–7,000 marines and sailors to about 50,000 already positioned in the region, Al Jazeera said.
The US deployments are among the largest since the 2003 Iraq war, when 160,000 US soldiers were sent. (ANI)
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