U.S. elite 82nd Airborne Division abruptly cancels drill — will it be sent to fight Iran?

According to The Financial News, the United States Army (U.S. Army) recently called off a large-scale training exercise for the command of its elite airborne unit at short notice, prompting speculation that the unit may be deployed for ground operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 6th (local time) that the exercise was canceled for the core headquarters unit of the 82nd Airborne Division, which specializes in ground combat and special missions and is responsible for planning and executing operations. Other soldiers from the division are currently training in Louisiana, but the headquarters personnel were ordered to remain at their home base in North Carolina instead of taking part in the drill.
As of this date, no formal deployment order has been issued. However, sources said the U.S. Army is expected to announce plans soon to send a helicopter unit from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, with the actual deployment likely to take place in late spring.
One official familiar with the matter said, "We are all preparing something in case the need arises."
WP also noted that, given the symbolic role the 82nd Airborne Division has played in past conflicts, there is speculation that the division’s rapid reaction force (IRF) could be tapped.
This rapid reaction force was deployed for the 2020 operation to eliminate Islamic Republic of Iran power broker Qasem Soleimani, the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the defense of the Eastern European front just before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Over the past week, U.S. forces have focused on air operations, striking the Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile stockpiles, drones and naval vessels. Fighter jets and bombers have flown directly over the Islamic Republic of Iran and dropped bombs.
U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn a line by saying that U.S. ground troops will "probably not be necessary" for military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, yet he has not completely ruled out the possibility of deploying them.
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for The White House, was asked by reporters on the 4th whether the United States is considering sending ground troops into the Islamic Republic of Iran. She replied, "At this point, that is not part of the operational plans," but added that President Trump "will not take the military options on the table off the table."
Sources said, however, that the focus is not on a large-scale, full-scale invasion, but on using small U.S. detachments for specific strategic objectives. They added that President Trump has not yet made any decisions or issued any orders regarding ground forces.

jiany@fnnews.com Yeon Ji-an Reporter