Trump Administration Plans Troop Deployment In Middle East As Iran War Escalates

Washington: US President Donald Trump's administration is viewing of deploying  thousands of troops to expand its military presence and operation in the Middle East, as the military plans for possible next steps in its ongoing campaign against Iran, according to media reports.

Is Trump really deploying troops?

"The administration is considering deploying thousands of US troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East," a US official and three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

How will the deployment help?

With this plan of deployments, Trump will get help in additional options as he considers expanding US operations.

Multiple roles for any additional forces, ‌include securing safe movement for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which is the most important energy route. A mission which would be completed primarily through air and naval forces.

"Securing the Strait could also mean deploying US troops to Iran's shoreline,  four sources, including two US officials told Reuters.

What are other plans?

The Trump administration has also considered options to send US forces to Iran's Kharg Island, a important hub that handles 90 per cent of Iran's oil exports, the three people familiar with the matter and three US ​officials told Reuters. 

According to Reuters reports, one of the officials said that such an operation would be very risky. Iran has the ability to reach the island with missiles and drones.

The administration have also considered the options of deploying US forces to secure Iran's stocks of highly ​enriched uranium, one of the people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The sources did not believe a deployment of ground forces anywhere in Iran was imminent but declined to discuss specifics of US operational planning. 

According to experts, the operation of securing Iran's uranium stockpiles would be highly complex and risky, even for US special operations forces.

Is the final decision being made regarding ground troops?

Despite the ongoing discussion, White House officials said that no final call has been made on deploying ground forces.

"There has been no decision to send ground troops at this time, but President Trump wisely keeps all options at his disposal," a White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

"The ​president is focused on achieving all of the defined objectives of Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran's ballistic missile capacity, annihilate their navy, ensure their terrorist proxies cannot destabilize the region, and guarantee that Iran can never ​possess a nuclear weapon."