Is the Pentagon quietly preparing for a ground war in Iran?

Team TOI Plus
Mar 29, 2026 | 16:19 IST

Is the US preparing to move from airstrikes to ground action in Iran? As troop build-ups intensify and plans for targeted raids take shape, Washington appears to be weighing a far riskier phase of the conflict. What is billed as “limited” could prove anything but — raising the spectre of a deeper, longer war in an already volatile region.

The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of potential ground operations in Iran, signalling what could become a far more dangerous phase of the conflict.

According to The Washington Post, US officials say the plans — developed over several weeks — do not amount to a full-scale invasion. Instead, they involve limited, targeted missions: raids by Special Operations forces backed by conventional infantry. Even so, such operations would mark a significant shift from the current reliance on air and naval power.
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