With the US preparing options for a potential ground operation in Iran, Israel is unlikely to take part — a prospect that has drawn criticism among the American public but, experts say, reflects strategic calculations.

On Saturday night, The Washington Post reported that the US Department of Defense was preparing options for limited ground operations in Iran — short of a full-scale invasion but potentially involving thousands of troops over the course of weeks or months.

According to the report, which cited unnamed American officials, US President Donald Trump, who is also talking about the war coming to an end shortly, has not greenlit any of the plans.

Two days earlier, Axios reported that Washington was weighing options for a “final blow” to Iran, which could include deploying US forces on the ground, particularly to seize one of several Iranian-controlled islands in the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf. Among the potential targets is Kharg Island, Iran’s key hub for the export of oil.

The Axios report came as sources familiar with US intelligence told CNN that Iran was raising military defenses on Kharg Island in anticipation of a possible US operation to seize the territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at the need for a ground operation earlier this month, saying, “There has to be a ground component as well,” in order to bring about regime change — an unofficial goal of the war shared by both Israel and the US — while declining to elaborate on what that might entail.

Still, despite his remarks, there has been no indication in recent reporting that Israel would take part in such an operation — fueling criticism in the US that American troops could be put at risk in a war seen by some as primarily serving Israeli interests.

Thirteen US service members have been killed and more than 300 wounded in the conflict, and experts warn that any attempt to seize and hold territory would expose troops to far greater danger.

A recent HuffPost investigation based on interviews with US servicemembers and advocacy groups showed increasing wariness of the conflict among American troops.

“I’m hearing out of service members’ mouths the words, ‘We do not want to die for Israel — we don’t........

© The Times of Israel