Iran warned against a possible U.S. ground invasion on Sunday, threatening to set American troops “on fire,” as the war in the Middle East passed the one-month mark.The warning comes after additional American forces arrived in the region on Saturday, including about 3,500 sailors and Marines, according to U.S. Central Command. The Trump administration has generally avoided taking military options off the table since the conflict started, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio said again last week that the U.S. can achieve its objectives without ground troops. Rubio told reporters that the deployments are designed to ensure “maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.” However, The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the Pentagon is currently preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran. The report noted that any potential ground operation would fall short of a full-scale invasion. An American ground invasion would mark a significant escalation as efforts to end hostilities ramped up this weekend. Several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, met in Pakistan on Sunday. There are also signs that the conflict, which has already entangled much of the region, is widening. Iran-backed Houthi rebels got involved in the war for the first time on Saturday, claiming responsibility for attacks on Israel. It’s raising concerns that the Houthis could soon begin attacking shipping in the Red Sea, as they’ve done in past conflicts. That could further disrupt the global economy and energy markets. The Red Sea is even more critical right now as Iran continues its chokehold on another key waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, although humanitarian and agricultural shipments are now being allowed through. Disruptions in the strait and attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East have sent oil and gas prices soaring. As of Sunday morning, the national average for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. was just short of four dollars, up one dollar since the war started a month ago. If the strait isn’t fully reopened to all traffic by April 6, the latest deadline set by Trump, the president has threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants. Trump has said that talks are going well, but Iran has expressed skepticism about recent diplomatic efforts. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, accused the U.S. of making unrealistic demands on Saturday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also issued a new threat, saying it could target Israeli universities and branches of American schools in the region. “If the U.S. government wants its universities in the region spared, it should condemn the bombardment of (Iranian) universities by 12 o’clock Monday, March 30, in an official statement,” the Guard said in a statement.The White House didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment about the warning on Sunday morning.
Iran warned against a possible U.S. ground invasion on Sunday, threatening to set American troops “on fire,” as the war in the Middle East passed the one-month mark.
The warning comes after additional American forces arrived in the region on Saturday, including about 3,500 sailors and Marines, according to U.S. Central Command.
The Trump administration has generally avoided taking military options off the table since the conflict started, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio said again last week that the U.S. can achieve its objectives without ground troops. Rubio told reporters that the deployments are designed to ensure “maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.”
However, The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the Pentagon is currently preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran. The report noted that any potential ground operation would fall short of a full-scale invasion.
An American ground invasion would mark a significant escalation as efforts to end hostilities ramped up this weekend. Several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, met in Pakistan on Sunday.
There are also signs that the conflict, which has already entangled much of the region, is widening. Iran-backed Houthi rebels got involved in the war for the first time on Saturday, claiming responsibility for attacks on Israel.
It’s raising concerns that the Houthis could soon begin attacking shipping in the Red Sea, as they’ve done in past conflicts. That could further disrupt the global economy and energy markets. The Red Sea is even more critical right now as Iran continues its chokehold on another key waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, although humanitarian and agricultural shipments are now being allowed through.
Disruptions in the strait and attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East have sent oil and gas prices soaring. As of Sunday morning, the national average for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. was just short of four dollars, up one dollar since the war started a month ago.
If the strait isn’t fully reopened to all traffic by April 6, the latest deadline set by Trump, the president has threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants.
Trump has said that talks are going well, but Iran has expressed skepticism about recent diplomatic efforts. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, accused the U.S. of making unrealistic demands on Saturday.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also issued a new threat, saying it could target Israeli universities and branches of American schools in the region.
“If the U.S. government wants its universities in the region spared, it should condemn the bombardment of (Iranian) universities by 12 o’clock Monday, March 30, in an official statement,” the Guard said in a statement.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment about the warning on Sunday morning.
