The Pentagon has ordered the deployment of nearly 2,000 servicemen, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, to the Middle East. This information was reported in an article by The New York Times, citing sources in the U.S. Department of Defense.
This group is being formed from the Immediate Response Force (IRF) brigade, which consists of about 3,000 personnel who can be deployed anywhere in the world within 18 hours. According to information from NYT sources, the contingent includes two battalions, each comprising approximately 800 soldiers. In the coming days, additional troops from the IRF may be sent to the Middle East, Pentagon representatives added.
Considering the 4,500 Marines already heading to the region, the arrival of 2,000 paratroopers increases the total number of additional ground troops sent to the conflict zone to nearly 7,000, indicating a new escalation, according to NYT. Approximately 50,000 servicemen from various countries, including the U.S. and Middle Eastern states, are involved in the military operation "Epic Fury."
According to sources from the publication, the paratroopers will be sent to an area within reach of Iran and could be used to capture Khark Island—a key point for Iranian oil exports in the northern part of the Persian Gulf.
Additionally, by the end of the week, 2,300 Marines from the 31st Expeditionary Corps are expected to arrive in the Middle East, who may be deployed to capture Khark Island or to support operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, as noted by NYT. Officials emphasized that no heavy weaponry, such as armored vehicles, would be sent along with the paratroopers, which could provide protection against possible counterattacks from Iranian forces.
Recently, NYT reported that the U.S. has provided Iran with a 15-point plan regarding the cessation of hostilities in the Middle East. The newspaper's sources claim that this list addresses issues related to Iran's ballistic missile program, its nuclear program, and maritime shipping. According to Axios, high-level negotiations between the U.S. and Iran may take place on March 26. The publication also confirmed information about the 15-point plan.
