The Pentagon is reportedly planning to deploy U.S. ground troops to Iran. CBS News cited multiple sources saying federal departments had made detailed preparations for the deployment of ground troops.Senior military commanders have submitted specific requests to activate the option as Washington assesses its next steps in the U.S.- and Israeli-led conflict with Tehran. CBS sources said Trump has been considering whether to deploy ground troops to the region, but the conditions under which he would authorize their use remain unclear.However, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump dismissed the idea of ​​an imminent deployment, saying, “No, I’m not deploying troops anywhere,” before adding, “If I did, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”There was no official statement from U.S. Central Command, the White House or the Pentagon.However, White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt did say the preparations were routine and did not indicate a decision had been made. “The Pentagon’s job is to prepare in order to give the commander in chief the greatest options, and that doesn’t mean the president has made a decision, as the president said yesterday in the Oval Office, that he’s not planning to send ground troops anywhere at this time.”Military planners also discussed contingency options for detaining Iranian soldiers and paramilitary personnel during ground operations, including possible detention sites, the sources said.The United States is reportedly deploying the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East as well as the Army Global Response Force and Marine Expeditionary Force as part of broader preparations. Thousands of Marines have begun redeploying, and three warships and about 2,200 personnel left California earlier this week.
