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On Fox News: "Put Boots on the Ground" in Iran (July 2026)
US TV pundits and hosts arguing that American soldiers must go into Iran on the ground.
Vice admiral calls for 'BOOTS ON THE GROUND' in Iran · Fox News · uploaded 2026-07-09 · 4:03
Original: youtube.com/watch?v=1HBaBKjBnPM · IPFS QmSfSDoEJz66JNwetTspFEnWfCPPRZxiBKnQfLV5jRbu8g
What this video is evidence for
On July 9, 2026, after the ceasefire with Iran ended and US strikes resumed, Fox & Friends brought on retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a former Navy SEAL who grew up in Iran and helped lead the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The host introduces him as a member of the JINSA Iran Policy Project. JINSA is the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, a Washington think tank focused on US–Israel security cooperation.
Asked, as if in a war-college class, where the United States should hit Iran next, Harward lays out a ground campaign:
"I'd start outside the Gulf... Chabahar, a city called Jask... There's a major port there. Start there. Take it out. Put boots on the ground. ...I know there's risk involved with that. The message to the population of Iran that America is serious."
From there, he says, "work my way up into the Gulf, towards Qeshm, towards Bandar Abbas... all along the Gulf, control that, and you could control Iran," and "ultimately, also hold Tehran at risk." He calls it the chance to "finish the job and go after the government of Iran."
This is what the push for American ground troops sounds like on America's most-watched cable news network. It comes from a member of a pro-Israel think tank's Iran project, and it is framed as common sense.
Where this fits: see American Soldiers Iran Videos for the full explanation and sources.
Transcript
Machine transcription (apple-speechanalyzer) of the full 00:04:03. It can mishear names and words, so check exact wording against the video before quoting it.
Retired vice admiral. Navy SEAL. Robert Harwood. Grew up in Iran, let invasions in Afghanistan, Iraq, member of the Jinsa Iran policy project joins us now. So when you listen to the president, you think he's evolved to where you're at.
And that is, you can't trust these people. They don't have they don't have legitimate aims, and they got to be stopped. Without a doubt, Brian. My phone was blown up yesterday from all my Iranian contacts. They're all cheered.
They know the opportunity the president has. His use of force here has really reinstated that. It's also illustrated how weak the Iranians is in that they have not responded. And everyone knew at the end of the day from a historical content that Iran has never capitulated on anything. They've only worked to enhance their position.
their financial status, and the president understands this. I think he's come to that realization, and this first step of reconstituting the blockade is a critical component of that. He can now leverage all elements of power, not only military, but, more importantly, financial, and, I think, illustrated, from his time is in anchor, to build political support internationally and domestically, to finish the job and go after the government of Iran. So if you could pretend I'm a student at your war college class. Let's take a look at this region.
We hit 150 different targets over the last 48 hours. Where would you be looking at that would really get the attention of the Iranians, and that's usually in their pocket, their wallets? Well, again, I'd start outside the golf at sofa. where you're sharing Shabahar, a city called JOSC. That's risk free, almost.
It's the hardest point in Iran for them to supply taker. There's a major port there. Start there. Take it out. Put boots on the ground, if you'd after.
If you put any boots on the ground and line, I know there's risk involved with that. The message to the population of Iran that America is serious. Yeah. They're gonna finish this thing, is the indicator. So I broke my way up into the Gulf, towards Keshem, towards Bonderbas, those eras, and all along the Gulf, control that, and you could control Iran.
All right, so let's go look at another map, because this is gonna be some of the target rich areas. But as we look at a different map, This is where the blockade was, this is what the Iranians want to control. What would we have to hit to push the Iranians back out of that? All of those places in the Iran, I'm starting with here. And with the tears...
Are they, like, is this all mountainous, and are there rockets buried there? Are there drone sites? Sure, they're stuff that's first, right, whatever, but that topography, there's your issue. That's the hardest part for Iran to supply, support. You know, especially if you blockade and nothing's coming up, to move anything south from Tehran, from Tabriz, any of those other locations, to reinforce and support that.
is difficult. So it leaves those assets on their own, dependent on the supplies and stuff they receive. And so we can easily control that. So, yes, work your way up the Gulf, take out the coastline, but ultimately, also hold Tehran at risk as well. The capital, because that's where the so called brain trust is, which, before this conflict started, they couldn't even deliver water.
So I don't know what they're dealing with now. Admiral will have to see where this goes, because now it is back to kinetic military operations, and it doesn't look like the IRG cares much. Even if the foreign minister and speaker do. Admiral, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
Let's go over to Carlton. Hey, Carly. Hey, yeah, Brian, good morning to you. You got some very sad news to get to here. Be sure to like and subscribe for all the Fox News latest on YouTube and catch full shows streaming now on Fox One.
Last Updated: 2026-09-27