The US military is preparing to send 3,000 paratroopers to reinforce operations against Iran
The Wall Street Journal reported that an order to deploy a combat brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division, the U.S. Army's main rapid reaction force, is expected within the next few hours.
According to ABC News, elements of the command will depart for their designated destination as soon as the order is issued.
The 82nd Airborne Division includes a unit capable of deploying anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours, according to the American press.
Control of Kharg Island
US media outlets have raised the possibility of the United States attempting to seize control of Iran's strategic Kharg Island, from which approximately 90% of Iran's crude oil exports are shipped, in order to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz .
The White House confirmed on Friday that the US military is capable of neutralizing Kharg Island at any time should President Donald Trump issue the order.
According to the New York Times, the Marines could launch an attack on the island, and they are also on their way to the area.
Previous operations of the American paratroopers
Thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division were deployed to Poland in early 2022, just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
These soldiers were also the last to leave Kabul when the Taliban seized the city in August 2021, ending 20 years of American presence in Afghanistan.
On June 6, 1944, men from this same unit were also among those who parachuted into France to capture Saint-Maire-Église and participate in the Normandy landings.
