[U.S. Military Considers Deploying Airborne Troops to Iran, Potentially to Seize Kharg Island] BlockBeats News, March 24, according to The New York Times, U.S. Department of Defense officials stated that senior military officials are considering deploying a combat brigade from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, along with some headquarters staff from the division, to support U.S. military operations in Iran. Officials described these actions as cautious planning and noted that neither the Department of Defense nor U.S. Central Command has issued any orders yet. The combat troops would come from the 82nd Airborne Division's "Rapid Response Force," a brigade consisting of approximately 3,000 soldiers capable of deploying anywhere in the world within 18 hours. This unit could be used to seize Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export hub. Another possibility under consideration is deploying approximately 2,500 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently en route to the region, if Trump authorizes the military to take the island. (Jin10)