The Pentagon is preparing to deploy a brigade combat team from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East to support operations tied to Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing two U.S. officials.
The Journal reported a formal order for the deployment, involving roughly 3,000 troops, was imminent.
Maj. Gen. Brandon Tegtmeier, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, along with his command element and headquarters staff, has been ordered to deploy to the Middle East amid discussions about possible ground operations, Fox News reported earlier Tuesday.
The unit would deploy alongside the division's headquarters element, which oversees operational planning and coordination.
The 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, serves as the Army's rapid-response force and is trained to deploy globally within 24 hours, including parachuting into hostile or contested areas to secure key terrain such as airfields.
Officials emphasized that no decision has been made to send U.S. ground forces into Iran. However, the movement of the 82nd Airborne would expand President Donald Trump's military options in the region.
Those options could include efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route, by force, securing Iranian-held islands or coastal areas, or launching operations targeting Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to the officials.
The potential deployment underscores a broader U.S. military buildup in the region amid U.S. and Israeli operations targeting Iran's political leadership and military infrastructure. The 82nd Airborne is typically among the first units mobilized in crises because of its readiness and ability to rapidly establish a foothold in contested environments.
If Trump decides to send in ground forces, a possible mission could center on Kharg Island, a roughly 5-mile landmass that handles about 90% of Iran's oil exports.
The island has come under heavy fire from U.S. forces since the conflict began Feb. 28. It is packed with oil infrastructure and a civilian population of industry workers, along with an unknown number of military personnel.
Trump, who ordered a large bombing raid on the island earlier this month, has described the location as Iran's “crown jewel” and has resisted ordering strikes on its oil infrastructure.
He has not indicated whether using ground forces to seize the territory is under consideration.
The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the plans.
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