Iran threatens to ‘rain fire’ on US troops as possible ground war looms

Did anyone think Iran wasn't going to fight back here?

You cannot fight a ground war against people bunkered in caves. One would think we would have learned that by now.

From the article: In a message marking 30 days since the start of the Iran war, a senior Iranian official is spelling out what many ordinary people across the tense Gulf, and beyond, privately fear will be Washington’s next move. “The enemy signals negotiation in public, while in secret it plots a ground attack,” reads the statement from Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Washington still insists negotiations with Iran are progressing, while deploying thousands of troops to the region, some of which – including 3,500 that arrived from Asia this weekend – have now started to assemble. Much speculation has been focused on US forces potentially seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf. Taking it would cut off a key economic lifeline to the Islamic Republic, in the hope of starving its Revolutionary Guards of essential funding from oil exports. No plans have been made public, but US troops could also be ordered to seize coastal positions to try and reopen the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a strategic energy choke-point that Iran has effectively blocked since the start of US and Israeli strikes at the end of February, provoking an acute oil and gas supply shock that is reverberating through global markets. But, as has been widely discussed, putting US boots on the ground would carry enormous risks, not least because possible ground operations have been telegraphed by Washington for weeks, while apparently unprepared US forces scattered across the world have been slowly amassed. In his message, Ghalibaf warned that Iranian forces are already “waiting for American soldiers to enter on the ground so they can rain fire upon them”. Without the element of surprise, a US ground operation, even with vastly superior firepower, could quickly turn into a bloodbath.

I would prefer that we didn’t send young people to die in order to distract from the Epstein files.

For every American soldier dying of Trump's war, all Trump voters are responsible for it too.

Donald Trump never had a plan for a drawn out conflict. This is the result of poor planning, arrogance and incompetence. It's also about Netanyahu's enthusiasm for war with his middle east neighbors and Trump being the perfect useful idiot to help him achieve his decades-long dream of decimating Iran, its proxies, and everything the Islamic Republic represents. I mean, we literally have Bibi on video admitting that he's been waiting for this moment for FORTY years, and that with enough of a push and just the right amount of flattery, he could get Donald Trump, the ideal American chump, to throw his military support behind Israel in its long awaited war against its greatest enemy. He was right. Trump has been escalating tensions and hostilities with Iran ever since he stepped foot into office. Crippling sanctions, assassinations, excessive airstrikes, his abandonment of the JCPOA—a campaign of "maximum pressure." And yeah, this war is also about Trump's ego, or his desire to project his own strength through the unbridled use of the military. You know, good ol fashion US imperialism... After Venezuela, Trump got it in his head that he could decapitate any government that opposes him. But it's not really going as planned—because there was no plan. And besides, in Venezuela, Trump removed Maduro from power but kept the oppressive government intact in return for their cooperation. So much for liberating the people... That said, other than wholesale destruction, what the f*** have we actually accomplished in Iran? The regime hasn't "changed," the Iranian people have not been "liberated," Iran was never building a nuclear weapon, nor did they pose an "imminent threat" to the United States. Meaning of course that this war was conducted under false pretenses and Trump's cabinet has been trying hopelessly (and failing) to cover up that fact, which is why their messaging has been so erratic and inconsistent. A war that ignored lessons from history about what happens when the US tries "regime change" in the middle east. An illegal war that was launched without consulting with our allies or Congress. A war that was always one of choice, not of necessity. And now Trump is desperately searching for an offramp. Like when he told the Iranian people to "rise up" and "overtake" their government because he wanted to wipe his hands clean of the bloody aftermath of a war he helped start with no long-term, coherent strategy for the future. However, Trump can't just up and leave because, for one, it would signal defeat and/or reflect very poorly on him, but more important than that, because he helped trigger a global energy crisis after dismissing warnings about very obvious Iranian countermeasures in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf. And while Trump is pushing back deadlines and claiming that the war is "winding down," or that "productive conversations" are happening, he is simultaneously sending thousands of *more* troops to the region and demanding *more* money from the government to fuel operation "epic failure." At the same time, Israel is bombing Iran's Capital and Iran is firing back at neighboring countries. The war is only expanding and conflict is being reignited between Israel and Hezbollah. Oh, and the Houthis just joined the fight. So much for this war "winding down." Worse yet, American troops are dead and dying and we continue to bomb Iran with no regard for the civilians we're supposed to be "liberating." MILLIONS of people have been displaced across the Middle East. Thousands of innocent noncombatants have been killed in this war so far—some of them CHILDREN at the hands of our own military and its incompetent commander in chief. Together, the US and Israel are shelling schools, hospitals, heritage sites, non-military and civilian infrastructure, and even residential areas. Some Iranians doubt whether regime change is realistic and whether this war is even worth it... As far as "regime change" goes, the already dying Ayatollah was replaced by his more hardline son who we've managed to radicalize all the same after killing his entire family, and who has deep connections and sway with the IRGC. Additionally, one fifth of the population still supports the Islamic Republic and grieves the deaths of prominent Iranian leaders. When it comes to the economic side of things, this war has caused a worldwide oil crisis, which has both short and long term repercussions for the American economy, and an economy that was already sliding before the war even began. A ground invasion is all but inevitable at this point because we presently have nothing to really show for our efforts. Without "boots on the ground," the administration can't achieve its constantly shifting goals. Goals without the vision, capability or expertise to carry them out. Assurances without planning and preparation. In other words, flights of fancy. And because, under false pretenses, the Trump administration plunged head first into this war, with a little nudge from Netanyahu of course, there's now no other feasible way to facilitate structural change in Iran, no other way to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz, no chance of poaching whatever uranium Iran has left lying around, and no possibility at all of taking Kharg Island and thus crippling Iran's oil production indefinitely. For that matter, if the US doesn't launch a ground invasion, it can't make up for its incompetency, its many oversights and a lack of any meaningful results (sunk cost fallacy). At this point, ordering troops to invade Iran is the only way for the US to at least appear like it's committing to "objectives" that don't just involve bombing the f*** out of the country.

Veterans overwhelmingly voted for this. Over and over and over.

Man, I can only imagine how nervous our troops are over there. We exited Afghanistan 5 years ago. So, a BUNCH of the experienced troops from that era aren't even serving any more, meaning these guys are fairly green in terms of actually being fired upon. And all for what? To stroke Republican egos?

Iran has every moral right to fire on American terrorists invading their territory. The most ethical solution to all of this is for Israel and America to simply stop the invasion and end the violence. And if they don't, continued retaliation (from anyone) against these countries will continue to be morally justified.

Who wants to go fight and die to distract from the Epstein files all while the government violates the Constitution in the process?  

Every US soldier wound and death is directly trumps fault. Remember maga terrorists causing this in November, or if you see them in public.

Trump could end the war tomorrow if he wanted. He doesn't want and so the war goes on.

I've heard and continue to hear a lot about people leaving the military through their legal means to do so and I could see why. They're planning on deploying these kids to places where the Iranians can easily reach them with their short-range weapons in an intensely unpopular war that doesn't seem to benefit Americans in any context.

Praying for the safety of all service members stuck in Trump's attempt to divert attention away from the Epstein files.

Well, this is going to be really bad. The reality is that US has no way out other than sending in ground troop as a desperate attempt to try to improve this mess. The problem is that the so called epic fury failed to put a dent on Iran's missle and drone strike capability while depleting the US air defense and precision strike munition. This means the group troop will be entering hostile territory with diminished air defense and no air superiority. Since WW2, US has dominate the air and ensure defense before deployment. The casualty rate of attacking iran will likeoy be much higher than any other wars the US has seen in modern history.

Good this war is fucked

There’s potentially 10 million people that would fight.

considering they haven't been able to protect their multi billion dollar limited radar systems like THAAD from iranian missiles, i have to guess they'll have a hard time protecting ground forces which they care far less about

This situation seems to be escalating quickly, and it’s concerning for everyone involved.

Just do it. There’s nothing we can do in enough time to stop it so just feed the meat grinder and be done. I’ll just put that moment in the part of my brain that can’t get rid of Hind Rijab’s little voice on that phone call. It’s all horrifying and I’m just numb.

It’s a reminder that words from leaders can have a real impact on how people feel and what happens next.

“Rain fire” - code words for tactical nuclear weapons? someone in DC needs to find their balls and spine and stop this madness before it turns very, very bad.