PANews reported on March 29th, citing the Washington Post, that US officials stated the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran. With thousands of US soldiers and Marines arriving in the Middle East, this could become a dangerous new phase of the war if President Trump chooses to escalate it. Officials indicated that any potential ground operation would not be a full-scale invasion, but rather a joint raid by special operations forces and conventional infantry. Such a mission could expose US personnel to a range of threats, including Iranian drones and missiles, ground fire, and improvised explosive devices. As of Saturday, it was unclear whether Trump would approve or veto all or part of the Pentagon's plans.