Could the US deploy troops to Iran, and how could that play out?

"I emerge from this briefing as dissatisfied and angry, frankly, as I have from any past briefing in my 15 years. I am most concerned about the threat to American lives of potentially deploying our sons and daughters on the ground in Iran. We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran to accomplish any of the potential objectives here."

"While officials claimed the goal of the war was to destroy Iran's military assets, they could not detail any long-term plan. Trump said at the start of the war that the US aimed to stop Iran from producing nuclear weapons although Tehran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only."

"Analysts said a ground operation would be extremely difficult in Iran's vast, rugged terrain but not impossible. Experts say Iran's vast, mountainous terrain would make an invasion difficult but a small, precise mission is possible."

Democratic senators attending classified Iran war briefings express significant concerns about potential US ground troop deployment in Iran. Senator Richard Blumenthal stated he emerged from the briefing angrier than from any previous briefing in his 15-year career, citing insufficient answers about US objectives and threats to American lives. Senator Chris Murphy noted that while officials claimed the goal was destroying Iran's military assets, they provided no detailed long-term strategy. Democrats have criticized the Trump administration for failing to adequately justify the initial attack on Iran and the war's continuation, while facing Republican opposition in efforts to limit presidential war powers. Military analysts indicate that while Iran's mountainous terrain would complicate ground operations, a precise military mission remains feasible.

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