NEW: Marines Launch Amphibious Assault On Diego Garcia Island In ‘Practice Run’ Amid Kharg Island Rumors

Rumors of a U.S. “practice run” are swirling as Washington quietly readies options that could put Marines on Iran’s doorstep, with Kharg Island increasingly seen as the prize.

The United States is preparing for a possible weeks-long ground operation in Iran, with Kharg Island emerging as a potential target, according to reports. The Pentagon is drawing up options that could involve raids by Special Operations forces as well as conventional infantry units, The Washington Post reported, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump has not made a final decision.

“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the President has made a decision,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the report.

Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, has moved to the center of the conversation as the war drags on and energy markets stay on edge. The island sits off Iran’s coast, is central to Tehran’s exports, and has an estimated storage capacity of about 31 million barrels.

U.S. forces have already hit military targets tied to Iran’s capabilities, including strikes on Kharg in recent operations, though oil infrastructure was left intact. Trump, speaking about earlier action, said the United States chose to “spare” those facilities.

The Marine Corps, meanwhile, is training for exactly the kind of ship-to-shore operation a Kharg mission would demand. U.S. Marines recently ran a simulated amphibious assault landing on Diego Garcia, a remote U.S.-controlled outpost in the Indian Ocean that’s long been used as a major logistics hub. In plain terms, it was the kind of rehearsal you do when you want the option to put troops ashore on an island, fast, if the commander in chief gives the order.

The posture shift is getting harder to miss. U.S. Central Command said Saturday that a major amphibious force package is now in theater, with the USS Tripoli arriving alongside its embarked Marines and aircraft.

“U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27. The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit composed of about 3,500 Sailors and Marines in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets,” the command said.

That kind of package is built for fast, flexible missions, including raids and amphibious landings. It is also the sort of force that can posture offshore, pressure Tehran, and keep options open without Washington publicly committing to a full-scale invasion.

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Separate reports from CNN said thousands of U.S. personnel have been deployed to the region, though their destination has not been disclosed. That secrecy has fueled speculation that some of the movement is tied to contingency plans involving Kharg, including securing or denying Iran the ability to use its “crown jewel” export hub as leverage.

Reuters has also reported that the U.S. has deployed Marines to the Middle East and is considering sending thousands of additional troops, including elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, as the conflict enters its second month.

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For now, the White House is drawing a bright line between planning and orders. But as rehearsals stack up and Kharg Island chatter grows louder, the message to Tehran is clear: the U.S. is putting the right pieces on the board if Trump decides the next phase requires boots, not just bombs.

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