Could U.S. attack Iran’s Kharg Island as it sends more troops?
Satellite image of Qeshm Island in Iran’s Strait of Hormuz region on January 17, 2026.
Gallo Pictures | Gallo Pictures | Getty Images
The United States is preparing to send thousands more soldiers to the Middle East, leading to speculation of a ground attack on Iran amid conflicting statements regarding peace talks.
Pentagon reportedly It is preparing to send nearly 3,000 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and two Marine Expeditionary Units to the Middle East to assist in military operations in Iran. CNBC has contacted the White House and is awaiting a response.
Military experts said the number of additional troops deployed to the region appeared consistent with plans for discrete, time-limited operations rather than a sustained ground offensive.
It puts two strategic Iranian islands under the spotlight and raises questions about a potential move to seize the Islamic Republic’s nuclear materials.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis estimated that there were probably only 4,000 to 5,000 “trigger pullers,” or ground soldiers.
“That’s enough to capture a small target for a while. You have to understand that even the 82nd Airborne Division is an immediate reaction force that reacts very quickly in the field, but only before something bigger comes along behind it,” Davis, a senior fellow and military expert at Defense Priorities, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday.
“I’ve seen no evidence that any force of any size is being considered that you would need to go, much less a force that is warned, prepared, equipped, trained… It would take months to do that.”
Qeshm Island, Kharg Island and nuclear materials
Davis said there are three possibilities the United States could theoretically implement, based on the limited number of ground troops deployed.
Davis said the first possibility is the capture of Qeshm Island, located “in the horseshoe bend of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Qeshm Island, off the southern coast of Iran, is the largest island in the Persian Gulf. located near The arrow-shaped island in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a potential US target following reports that anti-ship missiles, mines, drones and attack ships are being held in underground tunnels.
The second target could be Iran’s Kharg Island, the center of Iran’s oil industry, while the third scenario could be a raid to seize more than 400 kilograms of reprocessed material, provided the United States can locate it and it is concentrated enough to make a raid possible, Davis said.
Kharg Island, often referred to as the “oil lifeline”, is a coral island located approximately 24 kilometers off the Iranian mainland.
It is estimated that about 90% of the country’s crude oil exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz before tankers pass through it. The island’s economic importance to Iran makes it particularly vulnerable to the threat of military action; but analysts say seizing the island would likely require a ground military operation, which the United States has previously appeared reluctant to do.
“The general idea is to deny Iran the ability to use these islands,” retired vice admiral and former Commander of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Kevin Donegan, told CNBC’s “Morning Call” on Wednesday.
“A lot can come from mines, missiles and cruise missiles… but most of them have already been destroyed or significantly disrupted. So the mission can certainly be carried out. The question is how long it will take to do it and when the flow can be restored,” he added.
They are expecting a potential attack from “Iran’s enemies” to invade one of Iran’s islands, one of Tehran’s top lawmakers said on Wednesday.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Galibaf said, “All movements of the enemy are under the full supervision of our armed forces.” in question According to Google translate it’s in X.
“If they cross the line, the entire vital infrastructure of that regional country will become the target of relentless attacks, without restriction,” he added.
US forces are not meant to fight prolonged ground wars
Ruben Stewart, senior fellow for land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank, said the number of US forces preparing to deploy was not consistent with a sustained ground campaign.
“Specifically what is missing are the heavily armored units, logistical depth, and command structures needed for a protracted ground war. In practical terms, this is a force that can move quickly and selectively, but it is not a force that can sustain operations deep into Iran or for an extended period of time,” Stewart told CNBC via email.
“Seizing Kharg Island is technically possible but would escalate tensions given its central position in Iran’s oil exports. In contrast, securing Iran’s nuclear material with this force would be least realistic as it would require a much larger and sustained ground presence,” he added.
A man carries an Iranian flag showing the faces of Iran’s late and new religious leaders Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei along Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran on March 25, 2026.
– | Afp | Getty Images
As U.S. president, Stewart said the relatively limited deployment is perhaps best understood as a coercive tool. Donald Trump’s administration is trying to increase its bargaining power and signal that it has options if diplomacy fails.
White House says Trump is busy”productiveIn the talks held with Iran in the last three days, it was stated that the military operation in Iran was “ahead of plan”.
However, Iran has repeatedly denied holding talks with Washington.
