PANews reported on March 19, citing Reuters, that a US official and three sources familiar with the matter said the Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of US troops to bolster its military operations in the Middle East. These deployments could provide Trump with more options when weighing the expansion of operations. Sources indicated that securing the Strait of Hormuz could mean deploying US ground troops off the coast of Iran. The Trump administration has also discussed deploying ground troops to Iran's Kharg Island and the possibility of sending US troops to secure Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile. A White House official stated, "No decision has been made on deploying ground troops. The president is focused on achieving all the established objectives of Operation Epic Fury." Sources said the discussions regarding troop increases are not limited to an amphibious ready group and its attached Marine Expeditionary Force (approximately 2,000 Marines) scheduled to arrive in the Middle East next week. However, one source noted that the US military will lose some troops due to the USS Ford being deployed to Greece for repairs following a fire.