The United States has concentrated over 50,000 military personnel in the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its fifth week, with Marine expeditionary units positioning for what could become an amphibious assault on Kharg Island — the tiny landmass that handles roughly 90 percent of Iran's oil exports.
Defense analyst Bilal Y. Saab outlined the operational picture in "Hvylya," noting that some 2,000 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Tripoli have already arrived in the region. They will soon be joined by another 2,500 from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Boxer, with thousands of paratroopers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division potentially following.
The Marines would have two routes to the island: an air assault using V-22 Ospreys or CH-53 Super Stallions launched from ships positioned beyond the Persian Gulf, or a sea approach that would require navigating the entire length of the waterway under threat from Iranian defenses. A third option — staging from a land base in a neighboring country like Kuwait — faces political obstacles, as Tehran has already struck targets across the Gulf region.
In preparation, U.S. Central Command has bombed 90 targets on Kharg, including missile storage bunkers and naval mine facilities, while keeping the island under constant surveillance. The Pentagon claims it has achieved air superiority over Iran. Yet analysts warn the picture is more complicated: Iran can still hit the island from the mainland — capabilities reportedly enhanced by Russian targeting and intelligence support.
A critical vulnerability in the sea approach is the U.S. Navy's limited minesweeping capability. Years of underinvestment have left American demining forces stretched thin, meaning any maritime route to Kharg would likely require prolonged clearing operations — potentially under Iranian fire.
Earlier, "Hvylya" reported on how cheap drones have reshaped the battlefield calculus in the Iran war.