The Department of War is preparing to send the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, setting the stage for a deployment of 3,000 mobile troops that could be part of a ground operation in Iran.

The 82nd Airborne is a rapid-reaction mobile unit based out of North Carolina. It's arrival in the Middle East will bolster the existing 50,000 American troops in the region and provide additional flexibility for President Donald Trump in terms of military options, Politico reported.

Polling data has consistently shown strong opposition from the public to deploying ground troops inside Iranian territory. Trump has yet to issue any such order, however.

Notably, the Pentagon floated alternative means of engaging the Iranians on the ground, such as through Kurdish militia groups or internal dissidents. No such ground component has materialized, however.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.