Trump is considering the possibility of landing troops on Iranian islands
US President Donald Trump is leaning towards expanding the US military operation against Iran following several days of consultations with senior administration officials and military leaders. This was reported by US officials familiar with the discussions, according to the WSJ.
According to them, the options under consideration include intensifying air strikes on Iranian territory, deploying US ground forces to establish control over Iranian islands near the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a possible strike on the Pickaxe Mountain underground complex, which is linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump held a meeting in the White House Situation Room, where the possibility of seizing Hark Island and other territories near the Strait of Hormuz with the involvement of US military forces was discussed. The meeting’s participants also considered the option of a strike on the Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex. Other possible measures include further air strikes on Iranian military and energy facilities.
Vice-President J.D. Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hagseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also took part in the consultations.
The US military reported that on Wednesday it carried out two waves of air strikes against targets in Iran, which, they said, were aimed at reducing Tehran’s ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ll see whether we can reach an agreement, or whether we’ll simply see this through to the end,” said Donald Trump during one of the events following the start of the second wave of strikes.
In addition to the air strikes, the US military continues to enforce a naval blockade of Iranian ports. According to official reports, several vessels were forced to change course. In one instance, the military fired Hellfire missiles at the funnel of a vessel flying the Curaçao flag, which was heading for the island of Hark and, according to the US side, failed to respond to warnings.
Despite discussions of military scenarios, the US President has not yet made a final decision on how to proceed. According to the publication’s sources, Donald Trump emphasises in both public and private conversations that he favours a diplomatic solution.
However, the US believes that Iran has failed to comply with Washington’s demands regarding its nuclear programme following several weeks of hostilities and the implementation of the interim agreement. It is precisely this, officials say, that has prompted the US President to instruct his team to draw up additional options for putting pressure on Tehran.
At the same time, some administration officials note that Donald Trump is reluctant to consider the use of ground troops. At the same time, they do not rule out that public discussion of possible military scenarios could be one way of increasing pressure on Iran and encouraging it to return to the negotiating table.
The US President has also confirmed that he is considering a strike on the Pickaxe Mountain complex.
“We will destroy Pickaxe Mountain,” Trump said in an interview with radio presenter Hugh Hewitt.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News, he stated that an operation to capture Hark Island was unlikely, though he did not rule it out entirely.
According to sources cited by the publication, the potential approval of an operation targeting either Pickaxe Mountain or Hark Island would mean a further escalation of the conflict and would significantly increase US involvement in the war with Iran.
According to the report, the underground complex at Pickaxe Mountain is situated at a depth of approximately 300 to 475 feet beneath a granite mountain, which makes it extremely difficult to destroy, even with specialised US aerial bombs. At the same time, analysts note that the facility relies on electricity supplies, equipment and personnel, which could create other vulnerabilities.
Another possible scenario is the capture of Khark Island, which is Iran’s main oil export hub. However, experts warn that such an operation would pose significant risks to US military personnel due to potential strikes by Iranian missiles and drones.
Furthermore, according to the publication, discussions are taking place in Washington regarding the possibility of operations on other islands in the Strait of Hormuz, notably Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb.
