American commanders deploy ‘covert entry’ special forces ground operation warplanes to the Middle East raising the possibility of a sudden escalation in the war against Iran’s regime
Donald Trump is sending thousands of Marines to the Middle East as the Iran war dramatically escalates, it has been reported.
The deployment has boosted suspicions the US is considering a boots-on-the-ground operation against the Iranian regime. An expeditionary force of 2,300 Marines is reportedly being sent aboard three new warships towards the war-torn region.
They will join thousands of Marines already near the Iran front line and total around 5,000. Sources suggest the US could seize Iran’s Kharg Island, 16 miles off the mainland.
It would help free up Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route for oil and gas. The Mirror can also reveal US special forces warplanes have been deployed to the region.
READ MORE: Iran war may rage on for WEEKS sparking terror across West – and could include UK
Nine of the MC-130J Commando II planes landed recently at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk – but four have taken off for the Middle East. It could be a further move towards the UK becoming more entrenched in the war and comes just days after British troops came under fire at their base in Erbil, northern Iraq.
An intelligence analysis seen by the Mirror warned the movement of the warplanes from the UK could become politically sensitive. It says their stationing in Britain is strategically significant because Mildenhall hosts the only United States Air Force Special Operations Command presence in Europe.
And it adds that “operations supported from this location have the potential to place the United Kingdom in an enabling role within wider contingency operations directed at Iran.” It is believed the planes could be used to conduct “reconnaissance of Iranian coastal infrastructure, assist with targeting maritime threats associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, support partner forces in the region or prepare the operational environment for potential escalation.”
It also says: “These missions are particularly sensitive because they are often conducted in a deniable manner, allowing governments to avoid formal acknowledgement of their involvement while still enabling strategic outcomes. The implication for the United Kingdom is that Iranian authorities may perceive British territory as indirectly facilitating hostile activity.
“Even if operations are conducted primarily by United States forces, the use of a United Kingdom base could lead Tehran to view Britain as part of the operational infrastructure supporting actions against Iran. Such perceptions increase the likelihood that Iran may respond through asymmetric retaliation targeting British interests.”
MC-130J Commando II is based upon the traditional ‘co anywhere’ C-130 transport plane which UK and US forces used extensively in Iraq. It is able to land on desert landing strips packed with troops and weaponry .
But the MC-130J variant is faster, has higher flight capabilities and increased fuel efficiency. It follows reports that the US had discussed special forces embedding within a large force of Kurdish troops entering Iran on operations.
In the weeks before the war it is believed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps deployed large numbers of troops towards the border with northern Iraq to secure the frontier. But one of the problems facing the US is that Kurdish groups within Iran are not unified and may not be deemed capable of unseating the Iranian regime.
It is believed that increasingly the regime is using the shadowy IRGC as a de-centralised force capable of conducting unconventional warfare and avoiding direct confrontation. One assessment reads that IRGC’s “…operational philosophy emphasises indirect confrontation, allowing Iran to challenge stronger adversaries without exposing itself to the risks of large-scale conventional warfare.
“Within the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC naval forces represent the most immediate maritime threat to commercial shipping. Their use of swarm tactics, small missile boats, drones and naval mines allows them to threaten large vessels and naval task groups with relatively limited resources.
“However, the influence of the IRGC extends far beyond maritime operations. The organisation is responsible for coordinating many of Iran’s external proxy relationships, including groups operating in Lebanon, Gaza and other parts of the Middle East. Through these networks Iran is able to project power across a wide geographic area while maintaining a degree of operational deniability.”
