On March 23 (US time), US officials said that the country is considering deploying nearly 3,000 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East to support the military campaign against Iran.
Accordingly, the Pentagon is considering deploying a combat brigade and part of the 82nd Airborne Division's command. This force is the "Immediate Response Force", capable of being deployed to any hotspot in the world within 18 hours of receiving the order.
The option considered is to use this force in the operation related to Kharg Island, which is considered Iran's "oil vein". US officials are also considering the possibility of deploying about 2,500 more soldiers from the 31st Marine Corps, a force on its way to the Middle East, if President Donald Trump approves the plan.
However, officials emphasized that this is just a preparatory step and the US Department of Defense has not issued an official directive. The Pentagon and the Central Command declined to comment on this information.
Kharg Island is located in the Persian Gulf, about 25 km from the Iranian coast, playing an important role in processing about 7 million barrels of oil per day and accounting for the majority of Tehran's crude oil exports. Therefore, the island is considered a vital link to the Iranian economy.
Some former US officers believe that the feasible scenario is that the Marine Corps will be deployed first to control the island, repair the airport and infrastructure after airstrikes. The US Air Force may then use C-130 transport aircraft to bring more equipment and soldiers here.
In this plan, the 82nd Airborne Division can play a supporting role, deploying troops to replace the Marine Corps force after the initial offensive phase. However, the limitation of this unit is that it does not carry heavy equipment, which limits its defense capabilities if Iran conducts a counter-attack.
Previously, the US Army canceled plans to deploy a unit of the 82nd Airborne Division to participate in exercises in Louisiana, requesting to stay at Bragg base to prepare for the possibility of deployment to the Middle East.
This rapid reaction force has been deployed to many areas in recent years, showing an important role in emergency situations of the US military.
