Middle East war latest: Pentagon readying for ground operations – report

Firefighters look for victims and inspect damages at a residential building in southern Tehran on March 27, 2026, nearly a month into the Middle East war. Israel’s military said it carried out strikes on targets in Tehran early on March 27. Picture: AFP Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war: The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran — potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz — though US President Donald Trump has yet to approve any deployment, the Washington Post reported Saturday.

Any ground operation would stop short of a full-scale invasion, instead involving raids by special operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the Post said, citing unnamed officials. Kuwait’s military said Sunday it was responding to “hostile missile and drone” threats. “The general staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces confirms that any explosions that may be heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile targets,” it posted on X.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on Sunday threatened to target US universities in the Middle East after saying US-Israeli strikes had destroyed two Iranian universities. In a statement, the Guard demanded a US condemnation of the bombing of universities by noon (0830 GMT) Monday. Pakistan will host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey in Islamabad on Sunday and Monday for discussions “on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region”, the foreign ministry said.

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Islamabad has emerged as a key facilitator between Iran and the United States, serving as an intermediary for messages between the two sides. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined the month-old Middle East war on Saturday, claiming two missile attacks on Israel.

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