Pentagon Prepares for Possible Ground Operations Targeting Kharg Island: Report

The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of potential ground operations in Iran, including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz, as the war in the Middle East entered its fifth week, according to a report by The Washington Post on Saturday.

The report said the plans could involve raids by Special Operations forces as well as conventional infantry troops. Any such action would stop short of a full-scale invasion, it added.

According to the report, the Trump administration is weighing the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, which houses Iran’s largest oil terminal, along with conducting raids in other coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz.

The objective would be to "find and destroy weapons" capable of targeting commercial and military shipping. The Strait has been effectively blocked by Tehran since the conflict began last month.

However, the high risks involved in such operations have raised uncertainty over whether President Donald Trump would approve the plan.

How Long Could US Ground Operations in Iran, Including Kharg Island, Take?

“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,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the report.

Officials cited in the report indicated varying timelines for the potential operation. One person said the objectives under consideration would likely take "weeks, not months" to complete, while another suggested the timeline could extend to "a couple of months".

Kharg Island has also emerged as a key focus of US military planning. Senior US officials told The Jerusalem Post last week that there may be no alternative but for the United States to launch a ground operation to seize the island.

A former senior defence official familiar with the plans described them as extensive.

"We've looked at this. It's been war-gamed. This is not last-minute planning," the official told The Washington Post.

The official added that seizing Iranian territory could "embarrass" the Islamic Republic and provide "valuable bargaining chips" in future negotiations.

However, the biggest challenge would be holding the territory once captured. "You've got to provide cover for the people on Kharg Island. That's the difficult task. Seizing it is not difficult. Protecting your guys once they are there is," the official said.

The United States had earlier struck military targets on Kharg Island on March 13, with President Trump stating that oil infrastructure on the island had been deliberately spared.

Kharg remains Iran’s primary oil processing hub, with about 90 per cent of its exports passing through the island before shipment.