Amid growing speculation about possible deployment of US troops to Iran’s Kharg Island, Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said the US may have to deploy troops if it decides to secure maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The envoy said at the India Today Conclave 2026 in New Delhi that such a step would depend on the decision of the US President.
"If the US president said he wanted to defend movements in the Strait of Hormuz, he would have to deploy some troops,” spokesman Ruben Azar said. "I don’t know exactly how that will be done, I don’t know the details of the operation.”
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, with about 20% of global oil trade (about 20 million barrels per day) passing through the narrow waterway. The ongoing war between the United States and Israel against Iran has disrupted global energy supplies.
Asked whether reports of a possible deployment of Marines could be a signal that troops could be deployed on the ground near Kharg Island, the Israeli envoy said the outcome was uncertain.
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.
Pressed further on whether he believed Washington could eventually take such a step, Ruben Hazard said: "I think they will.”
Trump doesn’t rule out ground operations
Donald Trump has not ruled out sending ground troops to Iran, a departure from the long-standing stance of previous U.S. presidents who traditionally avoid "ground combat.”
“Every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say that,” Trump said during the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.
“I’m not sure about boots on the ground. As every president has said, ‘There won’t be boots on the ground.’ I don’t say that,” Trump said. “I say, ‘You probably don’t need them (or) if you do,’” he said.
The United States attacks KHARG Island.
In an escalation of its war campaign, U.S. forces launched large-scale surgical strikes on the Iranian island of Kharg, targeting key military installations. According to the U.S. military’s Central Command, more than 90 Iranian targets were hit in overnight operations. The attack destroyed a naval mine storage facility, a missile storage bunker and several other military facilities on the island.
Kharg Island plays a large role in Iran’s energy network, acting as a gateway for nearly 90% of Iran’s oil exports. Because of its importance, the island has long been seen as a strategic weak point where an attack could trigger strong retaliation from Tehran.
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