Mar 31, 2026 12:45 pm IST

Opinion | Zagros To Dasht-e-Lut, Why Iran's Terrain Could Be A Challenge For US Ground Troops

Iran is often called a 'fortress' owing to its formidable mountain ranges, which virtually form a wall to its North, West and South.

Harshita Mishra Harshita Mishra

The war in Iran has been ongoing for a month and is showing no signs of ending. On the contrary, with every passing day and newer military engagements, the escalation ladder only seems to be moving up. The US-Israel combo, which had initiated this war through pre-emptive strikes into Iran on February 28 are finding the going difficult as Iran is proving to be more resilient and stronger than what was initially projected. Despite the killing of its Supreme Leader in a targeted strike on Day One as well as the continuing losses and damages to key infrastructure thereafter, Iran is hitting back hard, forcing the US and Israel to think of newer options to ensure the achievement of their objectives as well as an early end to the war.

What The US Is Aiming For

Among one such options is the possibility of inserting a few thousand ground troops into Iran. Reports already indicate that an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 troops have been mobilised and dispatched and are likely to be fully assembled by April 6-7 for the launch of the offensive. This deployment includes the 82nd Airborne Division with about 2,500 paratroopers as well as American naval ships, USS Tripoli, an America-class amphibious assault ship carrying 2,500 Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and USS Boxer with 2,200 Marines of the 11th MEU.

The likely objectives of this ground offensive could vary from taking control over strategically located islands in the Persian Gulf, to the launch of special forces to recover the 460-odd kilograms of highly enriched Uranium (enriched up to 60%) hidden somewhere in Iran, or the capture of strategically located ports and airports. In addition to how Iran may counter any such move, one of the major factors in planning and the success of such an operation is the terrain. In fact, in the planning of any military operation, it is the terrain analysis that precedes any operational planning, and, therefore, a brief overview of the formidable terrain that Iran presents to any invading force is very important to analyse.

The Two Mountain Shields

Iran is a huge country, measuring almost 1,650 km North to South and 1,800 km East to West. It is the........

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