US weighs military reinforcements as Iran war enters possible new phase: Report

The conflict in West Asia has been raging for the last 35 days. With Israel and the United States demonstrating their technological prowess by striking military targets throughout Iran with pin-point precision. The Iranians too have fought back resiliently and tenaciously, targeting neighbouring countries , US bases in the region and Israel. Tehran has also closed the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the global oil supply passes, forcing a global energy crisis. Iran aims to exert global pressure on the United States in an effort to bring about a cessation of hostilities. In the latest move the United States has struck and destroyed seven key bridges across Iran. This is the first set of major deliberate attack by the United States on civilian infrastructure. The attack comes after US President Donald Trump threatened to obliterate Iran’s infrastructure, with a specific threat to Iran’s electricity infrastructure. The attack on civilian infrastructure is expected to put additional pressure on the Iranian regime. “Our Military, the greatest and most powerful anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done”, Trump posted on social media. At the same time the United States is building up troop numbers in West Asia. The United States has deployed over 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division in the region. The United States Marine Corps has sent a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the region, with reports that another MEU is on its way to the theatre. A single MEU has nearly 3,500 marines and sailors. American military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported that this number could be increased to 10,000 troops in the region.This is a stark difference from how the US and Israel have been conducting this operation till now, far removed from the ground.The growing number of troops in theatre is going to give the Americans more options and increase the vulnerability for the Iranians. “You can’t fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do to include boots on the ground,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated. “Our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we could come at them with boots on the ground,” he added. The targeting of infrastructure and the build-up of troops in theatre demonstrates that the there could be a new phase to this conflict. The US does not have enough troops in the region for a full scale invasion of Iran, but these troops could be used either for raids or to secure areas on either the coast or in the outlying islands. The attack on infrastructure on the other hand can also limit the capability of Iranian forces to respond in a quick and cohesive manner.

US weighs military reinforcements as Iran war enters possible new phase: Report