Pentagon officials have prepared detailed plans for the possible deployment of US ground forces into Iran, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to CBS News on Friday.
Senior military commanders have submitted specific requests aimed at ensuring the military is ready for such an option as President Donald Trump considers potential actions in the conflict with Iran, the sources said.
Trump has been deliberating whether to position ground forces in the region. Sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. It remains unclear under what circumstances the president would authorize the deployment of troops on the ground.
According to two sources, the military has also conducted meetings to plan how to manage the possible detention of Iranian soldiers and paramilitary operatives if the president decides to deploy American troops on the ground. The discussions included considerations about where detained Iranians would be transferred.
When asked about the possibility of sending ground troops, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, "No, I'm not putting troops anywhere," but added, "If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you."
Officials at US Central Command referred questions from CBS News to the White House and the Pentagon.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, "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, and as the President said in the Oval Office yesterday, he is not planning to send ground troops anywhere at this time."
Friday’s report comes two days after sources told Reuters that the Trump administration is contemplating the deployment of thousands of US troops to bolster its military operations in the Middle East as part of its campaign against Iran.
One of the key options under consideration includes securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. This mission would likely involve a combination of air and naval forces, but it could also require deploying US troops to Iran's shoreline, sources said.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)