Gulf allies reportedly back war as 7,000 US troops near Iran

A media report on March 30 claimed that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are privately urging the United States to continue its month-long war against Iran, a development that comes as nearly 7,000 additional US troops converge on the region.

"The force being deployed is consistent with discrete, time-limited operations, not a sustained ground campaign," Ruben Stewart, senior fellow for land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told Al Jazeera. "This is a force that can act quickly and selectively, but not one that could sustain operations deep inside Iran."

The deployments add to a conflict that has already seen more than 9,000 US and Israeli air strikes on Iranian targets and prompted retaliatory attacks that have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation has driven significant capital flight from emerging markets, with foreign investors pulling approximately $12.3 billion from Indian equities this month, according to exchange data.

At stake is the stability of global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz handles about 20 percent of the world’s daily traded oil. While US officials have not authorized a ground operation, the composition of the deployed forces suggests a narrow set of missions are being considered, from seizing oil infrastructure to clearing the strategic waterway.

Three Forces Converge on Gulf

The reinforcements heading toward the CENTCOM theater of operations consist of three distinct formations. The first is the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which departed Japan on March 13 and is expected in the area by early April. A second group, the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group carrying the 11th MEU, left San Diego around March 20 and is not expected to arrive until mid-April.

Together, the two Marine groups will put 4,500 marines and sailors in the region. They are joined by about 2,000 paratroopers from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, a rapid-response force trained for forced-entry operations like seizing airfields. The combined force of nearly 7,000 troops marks the largest deployment to the Middle East since the Iraq War.

Scenarios From Seizure to Stalemate

Analysts suggest the force is tailored for specific, limited objectives rather than a full-scale invasion, which would require a much larger force of around 160,000 troops. According to a report from ICRA, the primary risk is that elevated crude and natural gas prices could strain India’s fiscal position for the upcoming fiscal year by increasing subsidy requirements.

Three potential scenarios are reportedly under consideration: seizing Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90 percent of its oil exports; clearing Iranian missile and naval assets to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; and securing Iran’s nuclear material. Experts believe clearing the strait is the most realistic mission, while securing nuclear sites is the least feasible with the current force. Retired Admiral James Stavridis warned any assault would face “massive drone attacks, small boats loaded with explosives, and missiles.”

The alleged push for a ground war from the UAE, with backing from Kuwait and Bahrain, represents a significant escalation in regional pressure. The March 30 report, which cited anonymous US, Israeli, and Gulf officials, claimed Saudi Arabia told the US that ending the war now would not produce a favorable security agreement. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media that it is “time to expel the US military.”

This military buildup is what analysts call “coercive leverage,” designed to strengthen Washington's position in any potential negotiations. However, this strategy is fraught with risk. “As force levels grow... the political and operational momentum becomes harder to reverse,” Stewart said.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.