Report: Iran deploys units along coast to counter possible US landing
Reports indicat Iran has deployed Revolutionary Guard units and advanced coastal defenses along its southern coastline, including near the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising tensions with the US
Intelligence assessments from Persian Gulf states indicate that Iran has reinforced its southern coastline with units from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a move seen as preparation to counter any potential US ground operation.
The deployments are concentrated along strategic areas of the Persian Gulf, including the Strait of Hormuz.
The reported buildup comes as US naval forces increase their presence in the region. Washington has dispatched an aircraft carrier along with multiple warships and frigates, a show of force that Iranian officials and regional analysts have described as a de facto naval siege.
Late last week, US President Donald Trump confirmed the deployment of what he called an “armada” to the Middle East, saying the move was intended to deter Iran amid ongoing unrest inside the country. Iranian authorities have responded by strengthening coastal defenses and conducting military drills focused on repelling amphibious landing operations.
According to intelligence shared with several Western diplomatic missions, Iran has positioned IRGC and Basij units along its more than 2,400-kilometer coastline, with particular emphasis on key locations such as Qeshm Island and the port city of Bandar Abbas. The stated objective, according to the reports, is to prevent any U.S. ground landing on Iranian territory.
Western diplomatic sources also say Iran has deployed advanced coastal defense systems, including anti-ship missiles and Ghadir-class submarines, aimed at detecting and deterring maritime threats in the Persian Gulf.
The force buildup is also believed to be designed to enable Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz if necessary. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow waterway, and any disruption could trigger a major global energy crisis.
Separately, Cameron Chell, CEO of drone manufacturer Draganfly, warned in an interview with Fox News that Iran’s expanding use of low-cost unmanned aerial systems poses a growing threat to high-value U.S. naval assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.
Chell said Iran’s strategy of pairing inexpensive drones with low-cost warheads creates an effective asymmetric threat. “If hundreds are launched in a short period of time,” he said, “some of them will almost certainly reach their targets.”