Iran’s “First Island Chain”
Marines and 1st Brigade Comb at Team, 82nd Airborne, are there
Introduction
The US is at war with Iran, a presidential war. General Jack Keane, USA (Ret.), has said that we are now involved in a battle for the Straits of Hormuz. He has said that the US seeks to eliminate Iran’s ability to control the Straits and to remove its ability to retaliate.
In the Pacific region, analysts discuss the need for the US to protect the “First Island Chain,” which consists of Japan, Taiwan, portions of the Philippines, and Indonesia. The idea is to prevent China from controlling this chain.
I took a look at the islands in the Persian Gulf and noted that Iran controls the first island chain there. It consists of Qeshm, Larak, and Hormuz islands near the Straits. It also controls a second island chain consisting of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, Abu Musa, Jazireh-ye Forur, and Kish islands.
Iran has heavily militarized most of these islands, each of which is strategically located for controlling the Straits of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has claimed that Iran illegally occupied several of these islands in 1971, and the US has supported its claims.
Qeshm is the largest island in the Persian Gulf. Qeshm City is on the eastern tip, and the island's population is about 150,000. It is a key point for controlling the Straits. It is said to have a significant military presence and missile sites.
Larak is small, just east of the east coast of Qeshm, and is also said to have a significant military presence and missile sites.
Hormuz is near the city of Bandar Abbas, which hosts a major Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base, among other things. The island’s terrain is rugged.
Greater Tunb, in the second ring of islands, has been heavily militarized. Its runway serves Emam Ali Tonb-e-Bozorg Airport.
Lesser Tunb is also heavily militarized and Abu Musa’s runway serves Abu Musa Airport.
There is not much to Jazireh-ye Forur other than a small population and a lighthouse.
Kish hosts military infrastructure, including naval and radar installations, as well as aviation facilities supporting Iran's missile and drone programs. It also has a runway serving Kish International Airport.
In sum, Iran has fortified two island chains near the Straits of Hormuz. My guess is that the IRGC will do everything in its power to control these islands as a means of controlling the Straits of Hormuz.
Kharg Island, which handles about 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports, is about 360 miles to the northwest of these island chains, the way the crow flies, farther by sea.
The US began air attacks on several of these islands on July 15, 2026. I am in no position to suggest what the plan is, but we need to keep an eye on what is happening there.
I also cannot assess what might be required to capture and hold one or more of these islands, but it certainly would demand the insertion of ground forces, whether by air or sea assaults.
Let’s take a look at the “boots on-the-ground” manpower.
US ground forces
The US ground forces available have, for much of this war, consisted mainly of two Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) embarked on two US Navy and Marine Corps Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs), led by the USS Tripoli and USS Boxer. The Tripoli ARG has departed the region, leaving the Boxer ARG.
I suspect the Boxer ARG is insufficient to attack and hold one or more of these islands. I’m not sure whether two ARGs, each with about 1,500 Marines, would have been enough.
Elements of the Ready Brigade of the US 82nd Airborne Division have deployed to the region. Eve Sampson reported for The Military Times,
“The division’s headquarters, artillery, sustainment brigade, 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and 307th Engineer Battalion are in the Mideast for a year.
“The division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and Combat Aviation Brigade will also be deployed for up to a year.”
An Army BCT is a self-sustaining independent unit of about 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers with organic maneuver, artillery, engineer, and support battalions.
The 1st BCT of the 82nd Airborne Division could be used for an air assault. Traditionally, US forces have been very good at assaulting airports and runways to support further action on islands.
The Marines have long been a “go-to” force for crisis response.
Presently, the USS Boxer (LHD-4) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), with the Camp Pendleton-based 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarked is in the Arabian Sea. The USS Portland (LPD-27) and USS Costock (LSD-45) sailed as part of the Boxer ARG.
An LPD is a landing platform that carries Marines, equipment, and supplies. It has a landing platform for helicopters and MV-22 Ospreys, and a stern well deck to launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles.
An LSD is a dock landing ship designed to transport and launch heavy equipment, troops, and landing craft into a combat zone.
The 11th MEU consists of a Marine Corps Ground Combat Element (GCE), Aviation Combat Element (ACE), and Logistics Combat Element (LCE). The GCE consists of a battalion landing team of Marines, typically 1,000 or more. The ACE can operate with a mix of MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft, CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters, AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters, and a Marine Fighter Attack Squadron of F-35s. The LCE is usually a combat logistics squadron.
Altogether, about 2,200 Marines and Sailors are involved with the MEU, capable of operating independently or with other MEUs and US forces.
In ordering these MEU deployments to the Persian-Arabian Gulf region, military planners were offering “boots on the ground” options. That the USS Tripoli ARG has departed the region indicated that Marine amphibious operations in Iran have likely declined, perhaps.
It appears deployment of elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, however, adds to the “boots on the ground” option. The 82nd’s mission includes forcible entry assaults, usually by parachute or by air-assault, to secure important objectives.
If ground forces are to be used, you can expect significant air activity to make way for their arrival on Iranian territory.
