US CENTCOM Chief Meets IDF Chief in Israel Amid Reports of Pentagon Preparing For Ground Ops in Iran for weeks

Tel Aviv: Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Chief of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper met with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and other senior IDF officials in Israel, CNN reported, citing an Israeli source familiar with the matter.

According to CNN, citing the source, the talks focused on the ongoing conflict in the region involving Iran and efforts aimed at curbing Tehran's weapons production capabilities.

Earlier on Saturday, IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said that the Israeli military expects to complete strikes on all "critical" components of Iran's military production infrastructure "within a few days".

Addressing a press conference, he added, "This means we will destroy most of the military production capabilities, and it will take the regime a long time to restore them," as quoted by Times of Israel.

The meeting between the top US and Israeli military leaders comes amid the Pentagon preparing plans for the possibility of extended ground operations in Iran for several weeks, The Washington Post reported.

According to The Post, citing US officials familiar with the development, the preparations are aimed at supporting a more sustained military phase if US President Donald Trump decides to intensify the conflict.

The official noted that any ground operation under consideration would likely stop short of a full-scale invasion. Instead, it could involve targeted raids carried out by a combination of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry units, The Post reported.

Meanwhile, the United States Ship (USS) Tripoli, along with around 3,500 Marines and soldiers, entered the US CENTCOM area of responsibility, bringing one of America's largest amphibious assault ships (AAS) into an active combat theatre in West Asia amid the ongoing conflict.

In a post on X, the US CENTCOM said US sailors and Marines aboard the USS Tripoli arrived in CENTCOM's Area of Responsibility on March 27.

The America-class AAS serves as the flagship of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

"U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27. The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit composed of about 3,500 Sailors and Marines in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets," the post read. 

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