The third aircraft carrier is deployed, thousands of soldiers arrive, and the U.S. military significantly increases troops in the Middle East battlefield.

[Global Times Special Correspondent Wu Yan] Despite U.S. President Trump repeatedly claiming that "negotiations with Iran are making progress," the Pentagon continues to increase troop deployments to the Middle East. On the 28th, the U.S. Central Command stated that the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying approximately 3,500 sailors and Marines, has arrived in the Central Command area of responsibility. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy confirmed that the USS Bush carrier strike group has officially departed from the U.S. mainland to head to the Middle East. Observers generally believe that these actions by the Pentagon indicate that the U.S. military may be preparing for a larger-scale military operation against Iran, and the situation in the Middle East may continue to escalate.

Ground troops arriving in succession

The U.S. Naval Institute website reported on the 28th that U.S. Central Command revealed in a statement that the USS Tripoli is an America-class amphibious assault ship and serves as the flagship of the "Amphibious Ready Group/31st Marine Expeditionary Unit." Additionally, transport aircraft and fighter jets, as well as amphibious landing and tactical equipment, have also arrived with the ship.

Reports indicate that the USS Tripoli amphibious ready group, based in Sasebo, Japan, includes the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship and the USS New Orleans landing ship. Another U.S. Navy landing ship, the USS Rushmore, stationed in Sasebo, will also join this amphibious ready group. Earlier this month, the Pentagon dispatched the USS Tripoli amphibious ready group to the Middle East, but it is currently unclear what missions they and the U.S. Marines aboard will undertake in the region.

Another U.S. amphibious ready group heading to the Middle East is led by the USS Boxer amphibious assault ship, carrying approximately 2,000 personnel from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and about 2,500 sailors. Al Jazeera reported on the 28th that this amphibious ready group departed from the U.S. mainland on March 19, with a total journey of about 22,000 kilometers to the Middle East, expected to arrive in the combat zone by mid-April. The report noted that the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit has a rich combat record in the Gulf region, having participated in both the Gulf War and the Iraq War.

In addition, the U.S. military is also mobilizing airborne troops to the Middle East. The New York Times reported that the Pentagon has ordered the deployment of about 2,000 soldiers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East "to provide Trump with more military options." The report stated that these combat troops are from the "rapid response force" of the 82nd Airborne Division, which is a brigade-level unit composed of about 3,000 soldiers, claiming to be able to deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours.

As evidence, open-source flight tracking data shows that multiple U.S. C-17 transport aircraft have taken off from near the 82nd Airborne Division's base heading to the Middle East, indicating that some of the division's troops may have been mobilized. The report noted that the 82nd Airborne Division is a primary assault force of the U.S. Army, trained to execute airborne assaults, seize airfields, and other missions. However, the 82nd Airborne Division lacks heavy armored units, limiting its ability to hold positions during the initial phases of an assault.

The USS Bush has set sail

ABC News reported on the 28th, citing U.S. officials, that the USS Bush carrier strike group has departed from the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia to the Middle East, which could increase the number of U.S. aircraft carriers in the region to three.

Reports indicate that the USS Bush had just completed a major overhaul and restoration training with its air wing. This aircraft carrier is capable of carrying F-35C stealth carrier-based fighters and is considered one of the most advanced models in the U.S. Navy, second only to the USS Ford in overall performance. Previously, the U.S. Navy had dispatched the USS Lincoln and USS Ford carrier strike groups to the Middle East to participate in military operations against Iran, but the USS Ford has been deployed at sea for over 270 days, leading to significant complaints from the crew. Recently, the carrier was pulled from combat due to a fire in its internal laundry facility. The U.S. Naval Institute website stated that after the USS Ford withdrew from the Red Sea, it underwent brief repairs on the Greek island of Crete and is now docked in Croatia. The carrier's commander stated in a statement that the crew will receive "well-deserved liberty" in Croatia.

The U.S. website "Power" reported on the 28th that F-35C stealth fighters from the U.S. Marine Corps have also been deployed to RAF Lakenheath in the UK, preparing to participate in the "Epic Fury" operation against Iran, marking the first land-based combat deployment of the F-35C.

Preparing for a ground offensive next?

The Washington Post reported on the 28th, citing U.S. officials, that as thousands of U.S. Army soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East, the Pentagon is preparing for a ground operation in Iran that could last several weeks. The Wall Street Journal believes that the U.S. may send about 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East to bolster the existing forces in the region. Axios News claimed that the Pentagon is preparing to carry out a so-called "final strike" against Iran, which may involve deploying ground troops and launching large-scale bombing operations. However, polls show that a majority of the American public opposes further expanding military actions against Iran.

Ruben Stewart, a senior researcher in land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera that the ground forces currently gathered by the U.S. in the Middle East can only perform special tasks, not large-scale ground campaigns. He noted that during the 2003 Iraq War, the U.S. and British coalition deployed 160,000 soldiers, while Iraq's area is only one-fourth that of Iran. "The current U.S. forces deployed in the Middle East are suitable for dispersed and time-limited special operations, rather than sustained ground campaigns. The 82nd Airborne Division and Marine Expeditionary Units are both modular rapid response forces designed for raids, seizing key terrain, and short-term missions, but have limited sustained combat capability." Stewart also stated, "What the U.S. military currently lacks is the heavy armored units, logistical support forces, and command systems necessary for prolonged ground combat. From a practical operational perspective, the U.S. forces gathered in the Middle East are a force capable of rapid and selective action, but cannot sustain deep incursions into Iran or conduct long-term military operations."

Currently, U.S. media generally believe that if the U.S. launches a ground attack against Iran, it is likely to target Iran's oil export hub—Hark Island. However, Al Jazeera's website reported that the island's airport was damaged in recent U.S. airstrikes, and although U.S. airborne troops could quickly seize control of the island through parachuting, they would not be able to carry heavy equipment such as tanks or armored vehicles during their descent. Therefore, it is more likely that the U.S. military will first send Marines to land and use combat engineers to repair the airport infrastructure. Once the airport runway is repaired, the U.S. Air Force can transport supplies and follow-on troops via C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft.

However, retired Admiral and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis warned that considering Hark Island is located deep in the Persian Gulf and very close to Iranian territory, it is completely within the range of Iran's long-range firepower. Therefore, while the Iranian forces on Hark Island "could easily be overwhelmed by the first wave of U.S. attacks," any U.S. assault on the island would face "massive attacks from Iranian drones, explosive-laden boats, and missiles."

In addition to seizing Hark Island, Western analysts speculate that U.S. Marine Corps forces may also launch helicopter raids on Iranian missile bases, mine storage facilities, and fast boat bases along the Strait of Hormuz. Stewart stated that ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz is the most realistic operational demand for the U.S. military, specifically manifested as "conducting limited operations along the Strait of Hormuz, such as ensuring the safety of key maritime areas or suppressing threats to shipping," which aligns with the U.S. Marine Corps and airborne forces' capabilities for raids.