White House won’t rule out ground troops in Iran military operation

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the possibility of the United States sending ground troops to Iran is not being considered at this time.

At the first White House press conference since the launch of the epic Operation Rage, a reporter asked whether ground troops would be sent to Iran.

“They are not part of this operational plan at this time, but I certainly would never eliminate military options on behalf of the President of the United States or the commander in chief, and he wisely does not do the same for himself,” Leavitt said.

“I know there have been a lot of leaders in the past who have liked to take options off the table without having a full understanding of how things might play out. So it’s not part of the current plan, but I’m not going to take an option off the table for the president,” the press secretary added.

Since Saturday, the United States and Israel have launched attacks on Iran through airstrikes and naval strikes, but neither country has put its boots to the ground. Attacks carried out so far have targeted the regime’s security and military infrastructure, including the killings of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.

Leavitt stated that the United States has four main goals it hopes to achieve with Operation Epic Fury: eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile threat, destroying its naval capabilities, disrupting its missile and drone production infrastructure, and cutting off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon.

The press secretary was asked repeatedly whether the United States wants to see regime change in Iran. He reiterated the goals he had previously detailed and reiterated the administration’s stance towards the regime.

A man carries an Iranian flag to place over the rubble of a police facility that was hit during a U.S.-Israeli military operation, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)

PENTAGON WITHDRAWED US FORCES TO THE MIDDLE EAST WITH A WARNING THAT THE IRAN WAR ‘WILL TAKE SOME TIME’

“Frankly, do we want to see Iran run by a rogue terrorist regime, as the President has repeatedly said? No, of course not,” Leavitt said. he said.

The US has hit nearly 2,000 targets in Iran so far, and more than 17,500 Americans have returned to US territory from the Middle East since the operation began.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth gave an operational update earlier Wednesday, saying the U.S. had “definitely” won, and later added that Iran was “scratched” and that if they didn’t realize it yet, they would “soon.”

A general view of Tehran, with smoke visible in the distance, following the explosions in Tehran, Iran, on March 2, 2026. (Contributor/Getty Images)

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

“I stand before you today with an unfailing message about Operation Epic Rage. America is winning decisively, devastatingly and ruthlessly,” Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon.

“The world’s two most powerful air forces will have full control of Iranian skies. Undisputed airspace,” he said.

Related Article