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EE.UU. evalúa un 'golpe final' contra Irán que podría incluir tropas terrestres si fracasan las negociaciones (US weighs a 'final blow' against Iran that could include ground troops if talks fail)

On 26 March 2026, Gustavo Beron wrote for Itón Gadol, an Argentine Jewish news outlet, EE.UU. evalúa un 'golpe final' contra Irán que podría incluir tropas terrestres si fracasan las negociaciones. The piece is credited to Itón Gadol and Agencia AJN. It says the Trump administration was studying a "final blow" against Iran if talks failed, and that the options included American ground troops on Iranian territory plus a large air offensive. An American family should care because "ground troops on Iranian territory" means soldiers, not only bombs. The same article says Trump had not decided.

Evidence rating: MODERATE. The rated claim is that ground troops were among the options under study. Beron cites an Axios report based on official sources. The Axios article, opened for this page, says two US officials and two other sources described the options, and that White House officials called any potential ground operations hypothetical.

What the article says​

Beron writes that the United States was analyzing options for a "final blow" against Iran if negotiation attempts failed. He attributes that to Axios, based on official sources. He says the alternatives even included deploying ground troops on Iranian territory, together with a large-scale air offensive.

"Entre las alternativas contempladas se encuentra incluso el despliegue de tropas terrestres en territorio iraní, junto con una ofensiva aérea de gran escala."

Gustavo Beron, Itón Gadol, 26 March 2026, citing Axios. In English: among the alternatives under consideration is even the deployment of ground troops on Iranian territory, together with a large-scale air offensive.

He writes that, according to the report, the administration was studying these steps because diplomacy was not advancing and because of Iranian threats to ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow sea lane oil tankers use to leave the Persian Gulf. He says US officials indicated that a later offensive would have two aims: improve Washington's position in future talks with Tehran, or let Trump end the conflict on his own with an image of victory.

He names four main options under discussion.

  • Take or blockade Kharg Island, which he calls Iran's main oil-export center.
  • Capture Larak Island, in the strait, which he says holds Iranian bases and radars used to watch ship traffic, plus boats able to attack civilian ships.
  • An operation against Abu Musa island in the Persian Gulf, from which he says Iran controls key sea routes. He says the United Arab Emirates, an ally of the United States and Israel, claims Abu Musa along with Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb.
  • Intercept or take control of the ships that export Iranian oil, to squeeze the regime economically.

He also writes that Washington was evaluating direct action against Iran's nuclear program. That includes, he says, deploying troops to seize highly enriched uranium stored in damaged underground sites, or air strikes to stop Tehran from recovering it. Highly enriched uranium is material processed far beyond what a power plant needs. He writes that, for the moment, Trump had not made a final decision on any of these alternatives, according to the sources cited.

The Axios article this piece cites, which I opened, describes the same island and shipping options and the same uranium choice: a ground operation deep inside Iran, or air strikes instead. It says Trump had not decided, and that White House officials described any potential ground operations as hypothetical.

What other reporting and posts add​

The same Axios list, in English. The Independent's retelling of the Axios report gave the four options as: "invade or blockade Kharg Island; invade the island of Larak, which helps Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz; seize the island of Abu Musa and two Iranian-controlled smaller islands which are also located near the strait; or block and seize ships exporting Iranian oil." It added: "The options, described as 'hypothetical' by White House officials," and that the president was "ready to escalate." It also quoted press secretary Karoline Leavitt: "The President doesn't bluff and he is ready to unleash hell." The Independent, 26 March 2026. (capture: twitter/t56__v668.md)

Troops moving at the same time. The Pentagon confirmed to The Independent "that some elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, some division enablers and the 1st Brigade Combat Team will be deploying to the region." (capture: twitter/t56__v668.md) Two days later The Washington Post reported the Pentagon was preparing for weeks of ground operations; see Pentagon prepares for weeks of ground operations.

Israel would not add infantry. That weekend Israel's Channel 12 was reported as saying Israel would support a US ground operation "with airstrikes, intelligence, and airpower, but not infantry," a claim later flagged as lacking "direct confirmation" on Channel 12's own site. X trend, 30 March 2026. (captures: twitter/t13__v148.md, twitter/t13__v150.md)

What it shows​

Itón Gadol carried the Axios "final blow" report to Spanish-speaking Jewish readers: ground troops were among the alternatives if talks failed. The talks did fail, the ceasefire collapsed in July, and strikes resumed in September, with American deployments extended into 2027 (The Buildup). The "hypothetical" option stayed on the table the whole time. See Pentagon Ground Plans 2026.

Check it yourself​

Status: Donald Trump is alive. This page reports options the articles say were under study. It does not say he ordered an invasion.

Background for a new reader: the United States and Israel began bombing Iran on 28 February 2026. Four weeks later, Washington was weighing what to do if talks failed. Itón Gadol is an Argentine Jewish news outlet that writes in Spanish, working with the Jewish news agency AJN. The English headline would read "US weighs a 'final blow' against Iran that could include ground troops if negotiations fail." Kharg Island handles most of Iran's oil exports; Larak and Abu Musa are small islands near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow sea lane at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

Research captures: twitter/t56__v668.md, twitter/t13__v148.md, twitter/t13__v150.md

Last Updated: 2026-09-26

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