WASHINGTON, March 29. /TASS/. The Pentagon is preparing for possible US ground operations in Iran, which could last for several weeks, The Washington Post reported.

According to its sources, "thousands of American soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the war should President Donald Trump choose to escalate." The publication specifies that potential ground operations would not mark a "full-scale invasion" of Iran by US forces. Instead, they would likely "involve raids by a mixture of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry troops." According to the sources, the objectives of these operations could include, in particular, the capture of the Iranian island of Kharg or the destruction of weapons in coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz. One of the sources suggested that carrying out these tasks would take "a couple of months."

The article stresses it remains unclear whether Trump will approve any of the Pentagon’s plans. The publication notes that in the event of a ground operation, US forces will face "an array of threats, including Iranian drones and missiles."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, commenting on the report, that "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," she added.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some other key Iranian leaders were killed in the joint US-Israeli attack.