Reuters World News US troops, Israel's targets, IRGC, Mullin and the Fed
Mar 19, 2026
Edmund Blair, Reuters Middle East editor who analyzes Iran's wartime decision-making and the IRGC. Phil Stewart, national security correspondent reporting on U.S. military options in the region. They discuss possible U.S. troop deployments, limited ground objectives like securing key sites, Israel's strike on South Pars and its fallout, and Tehran's shifting power dynamics.
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U.S. Considers Limited Ground Options In Iran Conflict
- The U.S. is weighing limited troop deployments to the Middle East rather than an Iraq-style invasion.
- Options include securing Iran's enriched uranium, occupying Karg Island, and deploying naval and air forces to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
U.S. And Israel May Be Diverging On Iran End States
- Israel and the U.S. may seek different end states in the Iran campaign, with Israel tolerating more internal chaos in Iran.
- Israel prefers a decapitation that could create governance voids, while the U.S. fears prolonged chaos affecting global oil markets.
Revolutionary Guards Tighten Control Over Iran War Decisions
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards have consolidated wartime decision-making after senior leaders were killed.
- The Guards treat the conflict as existential and have taken bold actions like closing the Strait of Hormuz to raise survival stakes.