Pentagon Quietly Prepares for Boots on the Ground in Iran
Three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the United States military is preparing for what could be the most consequential escalation of the conflict yet: a ground invasion of Iran.
According to a bombshell CBS News exclusive published on March 20, Pentagon officials have made “detailed preparations” for deploying U.S. ground forces into Iranian territory. Senior military commanders have submitted specific requests aimed at giving President Trump maximum flexibility as the air campaign enters its fourth week.
The planning involves two of America’s most elite rapid-deployment forces — the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division (Global Response Force) and a Marine Corps Expeditionary Unit. Thousands of Marines are already on the move. Three warships and approximately 2,200 Marines departed California earlier this week, marking the second Marine expeditionary unit dispatched since the war began on February 28.
Perhaps most telling: military officials have already held meetings to determine how to handle the detention of Iranian soldiers and paramilitary operatives — including where captured Iranians would be sent. That level of planning goes far beyond contingency preparation.
When asked directly about ground troops on Thursday, Trump gave his signature non-denial: “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the preparations but insisted no decision had been made: “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality.”
Iranian Missile Debris Hits Jerusalem’s Holiest Sites
In one of the most symbolically devastating moments of the entire war, fragments from an intercepted Iranian ballistic missile struck Jerusalem’s Old City on March 20 — damaging areas sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike.
According to Israeli authorities and multiple international reports, the debris scattered across some of the most sacred real estate on Earth:
- The Church of the Holy Sepulchre — Christianity’s holiest site, believed to be the location of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and burial
- The Armenian Patriarchate — the historic seat of the Armenian Christian community in Jerusalem
- The Jewish Quarter — where fragments damaged a road and a wall
- Near the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa Mosque — the third holiest site in Islam
Israeli police released photographs showing the debris scattered in the Jewish Quarter. Several people were lightly wounded. Sirens blared across central Israel as millions rushed to shelters.
Iran launched a total of nine separate missile attacks at Israel throughout Friday, with additional launches continuing into Saturday morning. Iranian ballistic missiles also damaged vehicles and buildings in the central Israeli cities of Elad and Kiryat Ono.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a blistering statement: “The Iranian regime is firing missiles at the holiest sites of three major religions. This is not warfare — this is civilizational barbarism.”
Iran’s Regional Retaliation Expands: Kuwait Refinery Ablaze
Iran’s retaliatory strikes continue to spread well beyond Israel’s borders. On Friday, Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s massive Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery — one of the largest in the Middle East — setting multiple units ablaze.
Kuwait’s state oil firm KPC confirmed the attacks early Friday, reporting fires in several refinery sections with no initial casualties. The strike follows a pattern of Iranian attacks targeting energy infrastructure across the Gulf:
- Dubai International Airport — temporarily shut down after drone strikes
- Fujairah port (UAE) — fires caused suspension of oil-loading operations
- Saudi Arabia — subjected to over 500 ballistic missiles and nearly 2,000 drones since the war began
- Kuwait — General facilities and now the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery targeted
The UAE intercepted six Iranian missiles and 21 drones during the conflict, though an Iranian projectile on Wednesday hit near Australia’s Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE — prompting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to confirm all Australian defense personnel were safe.
Trump’s Mixed Signals: ‘Winding Down’ While Sending Thousands More
President Trump spent Day 21 sending deeply contradictory messages about the war’s trajectory.
First, he told reporters on the White House lawn that he was “not interested in a ceasefire” because the U.S. was “obliterating the other side.” Hours later, he posted on Truth Social that “we are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts” in the Middle East.
The contradiction was impossible to miss. While the president talked about winding down, his administration was:
- Deploying 2,200 additional Marines on three warships
- Preparing 82nd Airborne elements for Middle East deployment
- Drawing up ground invasion plans with detention protocols
- Having previously requested $200 billion in war funding
Trump also lashed out at NATO allies, calling them “COWARDS” for not wanting “to help open” the Strait of Hormuz. In a diplomatic twist, Iran’s foreign minister offered to facilitate Japanese vessels passing through the strait — a move that could fracture the Western coalition’s united front.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the U.S. had lifted sanctions on some Iranian oil, seemingly to leverage Iran’s Strait of Hormuz disruptions and stabilize global energy markets.
The War by the Numbers — Day 21
According to the Associated Press’ running tally as of Friday:
- Iranian deaths: 1,444
- Lebanese deaths: 1,000 (from renewed Israeli operations against Hezbollah)
- Israeli deaths: 15
- U.S. service members killed: 13
Since February 28, Iran has launched over 500 ballistic and naval missiles and nearly 2,000 drones at targets across the region. The U.S. and Israeli combined force has systematically targeted Iran’s air defenses, missile production facilities, nuclear infrastructure, and regime leadership.
The toll on Iran’s leadership has been staggering. In just three weeks, the coalition has eliminated:
- Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — killed on Day 1 (February 28)
- Ali Larijani — Supreme National Security Council secretary, killed March 17
- Gholamreza Soleimani — Basij paramilitary commander, killed March 17
- Esmail Khatib — Intelligence Minister, killed March 18
Trump himself noted that Iranian leaders are “all gone” and that the White House has “nobody left to talk to.”
What Comes Next?
The war stands at a critical inflection point. Three weeks of devastating airstrikes have decimated Iran’s military leadership, degraded its air defenses, and destroyed significant portions of its missile arsenal and nuclear infrastructure.
But Iran continues to fight back — launching missiles at Israel’s holiest sites, striking energy infrastructure across the Gulf, and maintaining disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz that have sent global oil prices soaring.
The Pentagon’s ground invasion preparations suggest the administration believes air power alone may not achieve all of its stated objectives. Operation Epic Fury’s four military goals — preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, destroying its missile arsenal, degrading proxy networks, and dismantling the regime’s security apparatus — may ultimately require American boots on Iranian soil.
Whether Trump pulls the trigger on a ground invasion or uses the preparations as leverage for a favorable settlement remains the defining question as the war enters its fourth week.
One thing is clear: Day 21 of Operation Epic Fury proved that this conflict is far from over — and far from winding down.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as the situation evolves.