Iran says its forces ‘waiting’ as more US troops arrive in region
Iran parliament speaker has warned that his country's forces were "waiting for American soldiers" as a further 3,500 US troops arrived in the Middle East.
Iran parliament speaker has warned that his country’s forces were “waiting for American soldiers” as a further 3,500 US troops arrived in the Middle East.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would “rain fire” on any US troops attempting to enter Iranian territory.
US Central Command said on X that the newly-arrived sailors and marines were part of a unit led by the warship USS Tripoli, which also includes assault and transport assets.
Its arrival came as the Washington Post reported that the Pentagon was preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran. US officials have not confirmed whether ground troops will be deployed.
In his message, reported by Iranian state media, Ghalibaf also said “the enemy signals negotiation in public, while in secret it plots a ground attack”.
There has been mixed messaging from US President Donald Trump about when the war could end. In recent days, he has said both that it was nearly over and that he was considering whether to take further action against Iran, including on energy.
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Earlier this week, US media reported that his administration was preparing to ask Congress for $200bn (£150bn) in emergency funding for the ongoing Iranian military operation—suggesting he wanted it to continue.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last week that he was not sending ground troops to Iran, but added: “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you”.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said on Friday that while the US could meet its war objectives without ground troops, Trump had “to be prepared for multiple contingencies”.
According to the Washington Post, citing US officials, any potential ground operation approved by the White House could involve raids by a mixture of ordinary troops and Special Operations forces but would stop short of a full-scale invasion of Iran.
The Axios news agency has also reported that the Pentagon is developing military options to deal a “final blow” to Iran that could include the use of ground forces, as well as a bombing campaign.
The US had already deployed several military assets to the Middle East as part of its campaign against Iran. These include bombers and fighter jets, as well as aircraft carriers and missile interceptors.
The US Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, arrived in Croatia for repairs on Saturday after a fire on board injured sailors and caused significant damage.
It is also unclear whether peace talks between the US and Iran have been happening.
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