The United States is preparing to send troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, raising the possibility of U.S. ground operations, multiple news outlets reported on Tuesday.
The 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, includes the Immediate Response Force, which the U.S. Army says can deploy “anywhere in the world within 18 hours.” Speculation about a possible deployment of the unit has been growing since The Washington Post reported earlier this month that the Army canceled a major training exercise.
News outlets report varying estimates on the number of troops for the deployment. CNN said approximately 1,000, while Politico and The Wall Street Journal reported as many as 3,000.
The 82nd Airborne has a long combat history, dating back to World War II, and has been deployed in major operations including the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
More recently, elements of the division were sent to Iraq in 2020 and supported evacuation operations in Afghanistan in 2021, as well as deployments to Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“The paratroopers have the ability to threaten targets in the Gulf, without having to transit the Strait. They can also arrive relatively quickly,” retired U.S. Marine Col. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the CSIS International Security Program, told Axios.
The Pentagon has not confirmed the reported troop deployment to the Middle East.
The U.S. military has so far relied on an air campaign in its war against Iran. Earlier reports claimed that President Donald Trump is weighing ground operations in Iran, including a potential move to seize Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil hub. Such a step would aim to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route.
The U.S. Central Command said Tuesday it has carried out more than 9,000 combat flights targeting Iranian military infrastructure, including missile sites, intelligence facilities and naval assets, since the war began on Feb. 28.
U.S. forces have destroyed more than 9,000 military targets inside Iran, significantly removing the Iranian regime’s combat capability. pic.twitter.com/7w1ZCS0JGn
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 24, 2026
The potential deployment comes as the Trump administration also pursues diplomatic efforts. Trump said Tuesday that negotiations with Iran are underway involving senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Iran however denied that negotiations are taking place, calling such reports “fake news.”
