Iran Prepares for Potential Israeli-US Ground Operation, Reports Say

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) believes the Israeli military (IDF) and U.S. armed forces are preparing for an imminent ground operation, according to the Tasnim news agency. In response, Iran is conducting training exercises involving heavy machine guns, specifically the DShK, in desert areas. Social media posts from supporters of the Iranian regime show footage of these drills, with captions indicating Tehran's fear of a potential helicopter-borne landing by Israeli or American forces and its preparations to counter such an attack.

Iranian media reported that a similar tactic was attempted during the search for two American pilots whose plane crashed in the Zagros Mountains. At that time, Iranian military personnel and volunteers tried to fire on U.S. forces but were neutralized. This comes amid heightened tensions between Iran, the U.S., and Israel.

Separately, suspicious activity involving several Iran-linked vessels was observed in the Gulf of Oman near critical underwater telecommunication cables. Analysts suggest this could be intelligence gathering on communication infrastructure or preparations for sabotage. Experts are particularly interested in the locations where these unusual vessel maneuvers were detected.

Earlier reports, which the Prime Minister's office denied, suggested that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad chief Roman Gofman were allegedly developing an operation against Iran before elections, with information about the plan inadvertently reaching the U.S.