As US President Donald Trump issued a threat to the Iranian leadership to “start getting serious about the diplomatic option,” the United States has been mobilizing several elite units to the Middle East. It is signaling that if diplomacy fails, a “conquest” strategy will be ready for activation.
At the center of Trump’s buildup is the 82nd Airborne Division and two amphibious ready groups. Experts suggest the move is aimed directly at Iranian strategic interests, such as Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf.
The 82nd Airborne Division, often referred to as the “911” of the US Army, is recognized for its ability to be anywhere on the globe within 18 hours. It is currently positioning its command staff in the Middle East.
Its mission is to provide a rapid-entry force capable of seizing airfields and holding territory until heavy reinforcements arrive.
Also nicknamed the “All American” division, the 82nd Airborne has carried a legacy that spans from the dark hours of D-Day in 1944 to the recent 2021 evacuation of Kabul.
According to V.-Adm. (ret.) Bob Harward, former deputy commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), the division has a unique lethality.
“It’s a fighting force,” he told The Jerusalem Post this week. “It’s an infantry division that’s air-dropped onto land.”
“You can take large numbers of people and put them on the ground very quickly,” he said. “They parachute into the operation, and no one can really stop them from getting on the ground.”
Trump ups pressure on Iran as US readies airborne, amphibious assault forces
Supporting the airborne entry are the USS Boxer and USS Tripoli amphibious assault groups, which have been carrying thousands of marines and a complement of F-35 stealth fighters.
These “mini-carriers” are designed specifically for the “ship-to-shore” maneuvers that have defined American power projection for decades.
“It’s a uniquely American capability and skill set,” Harward said. “We designed this amphibious capability because no one could stop us from coming ashore with that method.”
The deployment comes as the Trump administration has been weighing military contingencies to secure critical energy infrastructure. Kharg Island, a primary hub for Iranian oil exports, has been cited as a potential target for such a “Plan B.”
According to Harward, the geography of the island and region plays into the hands of the US forces.
“There’s risk associated with any boots-on-the-ground situation, but what makes this [Kharg Island] more palatable and easier is that it’s a small island,” he said. “You can watch everything on the island [and] know what the threats are that your forces would deal with when they come ashore.”
The ability to isolate such a target significantly decreases the dangers typically associated with ground invasions,” Harward said.
“There are a lot of ways to minimize the risk of taking the island,” he added.
The logistics of such an operation would involve multiple layers of forces working together,” Harward said.
“They would send vehicles that float and drive off the ships to establish a foothold,” he said. “There could be SEALs going on before to survey the beachfront, determine the best landing, and then bring those forces ashore from the ships.”
While the White House continues to speak of diplomatic solutions, the movement of these forces suggests that a military ground operation is no longer just a theoretical exercise.
If activated, it would mark the first significant US ground operation for territorial conquest in more than two decades.