The Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of additional US troops to the Middle East to reinforce its operation against Iran, as the conflict enters its third week and military planners prepare for possible next steps, according to a US official and three people familiar with the matter.

The deliberations include options that could significantly expand the scope of the campaign, which has already involved more than 7,800 strikes since February 28.

Among the missions under review is securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies.

While officials said this task would be accomplished primarily through air and naval forces, four sources, including two US officials, noted that securing the Strait could also require deploying US troops to Iran’s shoreline.

In a more dramatic escalation, the administration has discussed the possibility of sending ground forces to Iran’s Kharg Island, the hub for 90% of the country’s oil exports.

One US official familiar with the discussions described such an operation as highly risky, pointing to Iran’s ability to target the island with missiles and drones.

The United States carried out strikes against military targets on Kharg Island on March 13, and President Donald Trump has threatened further action.

Military experts suggest that controlling the island, given its vital role in Iran’s economy, would likely be viewed as a more effective strategic option than destroying it.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that no final decisions have been made.

“There has been no decision to send ground troops at this time,” the official said, “but President Trump wisely keeps all options at his disposal.”

The official reiterated the administration’s focus on the objectives of Operation Epic Fury, stating: “The president is focused on achieving all of the defined objectives of Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capacity, annihilate their navy, ensure their terrorist proxies cannot destabilize the region, and guarantee that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.”

Beyond oil infrastructure, officials have also explored the highly sensitive mission of deploying US forces to secure Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium.

A senior White House official told Reuters that Trump has various options for acquiring Iran’s nuclear material but has not decided how to proceed.

“Certainly there are ways in which it could be acquired,” the official said, adding: “He hasn’t made a decision yet” . Experts warn that such a task would be extraordinarily complex and risky, even for US special operations forces.

However, the sources stressed that a deployment of ground forces anywhere inside Iran is not considered imminent and declined to discuss specific operational timelines.

Any use of US ground troops, even for a limited mission, would carry significant political risk for Trump.

Public support for the Iran campaign is low, and the president has long campaigned on promises to avoid entangling the United States in new Middle East conflicts.

The human cost of the current operation is already evident, with the US military reporting that 13 American troops have been killed and approximately 200 wounded since the war began.

The discussions on reinforcements come as the US military adjusts its force posture in the region.

An Amphibious Ready Group, including a Marine Expeditionary Unit with more than 2,000 Marines, is scheduled to arrive next week.

However, one source noted the US is simultaneously losing a significant number of forces after sending the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to Greece for maintenance following a fire on board.

Compounding the strategic calculus, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers on Wednesday that Iran’s nuclear enrichment program had been “obliterated” by strikes in June, with the entrances to underground facilities “buried and shuttered with cement.”

President Trump’s own messaging on the endgame has appeared to fluctuate. After initially suggesting the US Navy could escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, he called on other countries to help secure the waterway.

Facing little interest from allies, Trump on Wednesday posted on Truth Social, musing about an even more aggressive posture.

“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Strait?'” he wrote.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the operational planning.