Ground operations seem imminent, "stealing oil and uranium" plans escalate tensions, US media: US military presence in the Middle East exceeds 50,000.

[Global Times Special Correspondent in the U.S. Li Yong, Global Times Reporter Xian Yifan, Global Times Special Correspondent Qi Rong] In recent days, news about the U.S. "launching ground operations" has been overwhelming, with international public opinion closely watching how the U.S. will conduct a new round of troop mobilization in the Middle East. The New York Times reported on the 29th that hundreds of U.S. special operations soldiers, 2,500 Marines from the U.S. Marine Corps' 31st Expeditionary Unit, and 2,500 sailors have already arrived in the Middle East, bringing the total U.S. military presence in the region to over 50,000, which is an increase of 10,000 compared to normal times. U.S. President Trump stated on social media on the 30th that if an agreement with Iran cannot be reached quickly and the Strait of Hormuz does not "open for business" immediately, the U.S. military will "completely destroy" all of Iran's power plants, oil wells, and Khark Island. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal disclosed that the U.S. is also considering implementing a "high-risk" military operation to seize uranium from Iran. The Iranian Tasnim News Agency reported on the 30th that the Iranian armed forces have preemptively struck against the potential ground operations of the U.S. military, weakening its related capabilities. The New York Times quoted expert analysis stating that even deploying 50,000 troops would not be sufficient to support any large-scale ground operations.

Trump: We have bombed 13,000 targets

In an interview with the Financial Times on the 29th, Trump said he hopes to "seize oil from Iran, just like in Venezuela," adding, "We might take Khark Island (Iran's oil export hub—editor's note), or we might not. We have many options." He also mentioned that the U.S. "has bombed 13,000 targets, with thousands more to strike." Later that day, Trump told the media aboard Air Force One that Iran had agreed to most of the "15-point plan" for a ceasefire.

According to reports from the Iranian Tasnim News Agency and Qatar's Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei denied on the 30th that there were "direct negotiations" with the U.S., stating, "I wonder how many Americans take U.S. diplomatic claims seriously." He described the demands made by the U.S. to Iran as "excessive and unreasonable."

As the U.S. issues threats to reach an agreement with Iran in the short term, it continues to send troops to the Middle East. The New York Times reported that hundreds of U.S. special operations soldiers deployed to the region have not yet been assigned specific tasks. They could assist in the mission to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz, participate in taking Khark Island, or conduct operations against Iranian nuclear facilities. Reports indicate that the Pentagon has recently ordered about 2,000 soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division to reinforce the Middle East, but the deployment location of these paratroopers has not been disclosed.

The Washington Post on the 30th cited anonymous U.S. officials saying that any potential ground operation would not be a full-scale invasion. The report mentioned that in recent days, the U.S. government has oscillated between declaring that the war is about to end and threatening to expand the war. The New York Times stated that military experts believe that even with 50,000 troops, the U.S. military would not have enough support to launch any large-scale ground operations. Following the outbreak of a new round of conflict between Israel and Palestine in October 2023, Israel's military operations against the Palestinian Gaza Strip have mobilized over 300,000 troops.

The Iranian Tasnim News Agency reported on the 30th that the U.S. had considered various options to maintain the smooth shipping of the Strait of Hormuz but may ultimately be forced to choose ground operations. The Iranian armed forces have preemptively struck against U.S. attempts to transition to ground operations, weakening the U.S. military's ability to conduct ground warfare by destroying landing craft deployed on Bubiyan Island in Kuwait and attacking relevant military bases in Saudi Arabia. In the area of air support, the U.S. also faces severe challenges. To date, several U.S. refueling aircraft have been destroyed, and the runways of its military bases have been severely damaged by missiles. Additionally, an E-3 AWACS has also been "destroyed."

Is the U.S. considering seizing uranium from Iran?

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported exclusively on the 29th that anonymous U.S. officials revealed that Trump is considering a military operation to extract 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran. He has not made a decision yet but is open to this option. Furthermore, informed sources indicated that Trump has instructed his advisors to pressure Iran to hand over nuclear materials as a condition for ending the war.

The report cited views from former U.S. military officers and experts stating that any action to seize uranium by force is complex and dangerous, and would be one of the most challenging operations ordered by Trump. U.S. forces would need to fly to the relevant locations, during which they could be attacked by Iranian surface-to-air missiles and drones. Upon arrival, the combat troops would need to secure the surrounding area so that engineers equipped with excavation equipment could search for and inspect landmines and booby traps. Highly enriched uranium may need to be stored in 40 to 50 special containers similar to scuba tanks. To prevent accidents, these containers would also need to be placed in transport barrels. Experts believe that if there are no airports available, temporary airfields would need to be constructed. The entire operation could take several days or even a week to complete.

According to AFP on the 30th, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei emphasized that the country has never sought to possess nuclear weapons, but the question of whether to continue as a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is currently under serious parliamentary review.

Iran: Regional countries "must recognize which side initiated the war"

AFP reported that on the front lines, hostile actions do not appear to have ceased. Iran and Israel continued to launch missiles at each other on the 30th. Additionally, a power and desalination facility in Kuwait was reportedly attacked on the night of the 29th "from Iran." On the same day, several areas in Tehran and the neighboring Alborz Province were subjected to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. However, according to the Iranian military on the 30th, Israel was the mastermind behind the attack on the Kuwaiti desalination facility.

In an article from the Tasnim News Agency on the 30th, it was noted that since the outbreak of conflict over a month ago, Iran has been pushing the situation in a direction favorable to itself. For Israel, it not only faces Iran's long-range strikes but also has to contend with the Lebanese Hezbollah armed forces on the northern front. Overall, U.S. and Israeli defensive ammunition reserves are rapidly declining, while Iran still possesses missile retaliation capabilities that far exceed Western media expectations.

On the diplomatic front, a meeting of foreign ministers from Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia was held on the 29th in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital. However, the Tasnim News Agency quoted Baghaei on the 30th as saying that the meeting held in Pakistan was a negotiation framework set up by the White House, and Iran was not involved, stating, "It is good that regional countries are concerned about the war and urge an end to the conflict, but they must recognize which side initiated the war."