Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the U.S. Sunday of covertly preparing a ground offensive even as Washington publicly pursues diplomatic efforts to end the war.
His comment comes amid reports that a U.S. warship with around 3,500 military personnel has arrived in the Middle East.
"The enemy publicly sends messages of negotiation and dialogue while secretly planning a ground attack," Ghalibaf said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.
"Our men are waiting for the arrival of the American soldiers on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional allies once and for all," he added.
Ghalibaf called for unity among Iranians, saying the country was in "a major global war" that was "at its most critical stage."
"We are certain that we can punish the United States, make it regret attacking Iran, and firmly secure our legitimate rights," he said.
The U.S. military said on Saturday that additional sailors and marines had arrived in the Middle East aboard the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship.
The forces joined thousands of U.S. marines already deployed to the Middle East as part of a massive military build-up ahead of the Iran war, which began with U.S.-Israeli attacks on the country on Feb. 28.
On Sunday, U.S. media then reported that the U.S. military was drawing up plans for a possible ground operation in Iran.
The potential ground offensive would involve combined operations by regular infantry and special forces, but is not intended to be a full-scale invasion, the Washington Post reported, citing U.S. officials. The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of such an operation, according to the newspaper.
A ground operation would mark an escalation into a dangerous new phase of the conflict, as U.S. soldiers on the ground would be exposed to considerably greater dangers than before, such as fire from Iranian drones and missiles, combat and improvised explosive devices, the report said.
It was unclear whether U.S. President Donald Trump would approve the plans. He has repeatedly spoken of diplomatic contacts with Iran, although these claims have been denied by Tehran.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that up to 10,000 additional U.S. troops who may be deployed to the Gulf region are likely to be infantrymen.
The Washington Post sources, who spoke anonymously about the highly sensitive military plans, said preparations for a possible ground offensive have been ongoing for weeks.
Axios also reported recently on military plans that envisage the deployment of ground troops, alongside bombing raids, for a "final strike" to end the war on Iran.
'All of Tehran was shaking'
In Tehran, two blasts shook the city early Sunday, an AFP journalist said, although it was not clear what was targeted.
The Qatari news channel al-Araby said an Israeli missile hit the building housing its office in the city.
Footage from inside the office showed broken windows and shattered glass. Outside, images showed the streets covered in debris and damage to surrounding buildings.
The channel said in a statement to AFP that it "condemns this attack on a civilian commercial building and affirms that endangering journalists or considering them targets runs counter to international law."
Iranian forces, meanwhile, said they had fired a volley of missiles and drones at plants belonging to two of the world's largest aluminium producers in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, targeting what they described as industries linked to the U.S. military.
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) said an Iranian attack wounded six and caused significant damage to its plant, while Bahraini state media said two Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA) employees were injured in a second attack.
As the spectre of a widening conflict grew, Yemen's Houthis Saturday claimed their first attack of the war, firing what they described as "a barrage of cruise missiles and drones" at strategic sites in Israel.
The attacks raised concern about the war spreading to the Red Sea, with Saudi Arabia rerouting much of its oil exports there to avoid Hormuz.
During Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, the Houthis, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians, attacked shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, forcing companies to take costly detours.
