The "Kharg Plan": Pentagon Deploys 82nd Airborne Paratroopers as Washington Eyes Iran’s Oil Hub

The U.S. Pentagon on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, authorized the deployment of approximately 2,000 paratroopers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. According to U.S. officials speaking to the Washington Post, these troops—trained for immediate response within 18 hours—are tasked with securing vital infrastructure and potentially seizing strategic nodes.

The Strategy to Capture Kharg Island: The arrival of these paratroopers coincides with the movement of three warships carrying 4,500 troops from the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group. Intelligence sources confirm that President Trump’s administration is weighing a high-stakes plan to seize Kharg Island, the terminal responsible for 90% of Iran’s oil exports.

Control of Kharg would grant Washington ultimate leverage over Tehran’s economy. While ground forces could capture the island quickly, military analysts warn of a "firestorm" of Iranian drones and missiles aimed at the island from the mainland, just 15 miles away. Trump had previously ordered surgical strikes on the island's military defenses while intentionally leaving the oil infrastructure intact, signaling his intent to use it as a decisive bargaining chip.