What to know about Iran’s military as the U.S. weighs ground operations

(Avery Lotz – Axios) Iran’s military has taken a significant beating in the opening weeks of the U.S.-Israeli offensive — but Tehran continues to demonstrate a defiant disruptiveness. The U.S. is developing military operations for a “final blow,” Axios’ Barak Ravid reported, but some hypothetical next steps, like the use of ground forces, could risk intensifying the fight. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the war is essentially over, but Iran continues to launch strikes against Israel and other Gulf countries. The nation is also maintaining the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, impacting oil and gas prices worldwide. The White House and the Pentagon are considering sending at least 10,000 additional combat troops to the Middle East in the coming days, a senior U.S. defense official told Axios. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ground forces number more than 150,000 troops, per the Council on Foreign Relations, on top of the Basij paramilitary force and Iran’s larger conventional Army. – Iran’s military: What to know as the U.S. weighs ground operations