Aircraft carriers departing from a US aircraft carrier [Provided by US Central Command]

The escalation of the US operation against Iran, codenamed "Vigilant Fury," which is heading into its fourth day, continues, with the United States signaling the possibility of a prolonged medium- to long-term attack and not ruling out the deployment of ground troops.

During a ceremony at the White House in Washington D.C. on the 2nd (local time) to award the "Medal of Honor" to recipients of military decorations, US President Donald Trump stated, "It doesn't matter how long it takes to win the war with Iran. We will do whatever it takes," adding, "We expected it to take 4 to 5 weeks, but we have the capacity to sustain it for longer."

In a phone interview with The New York Times (NYT) the previous day, President Trump had mentioned that the duration of the attack on Iran was "intended to be four to five weeks." This indicates his determination to bear the costs if the war drags on longer than initially anticipated and to achieve the objectives regardless of the price.

At a press briefing on the same day, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kain stated that they would not engage in an "endless war like the Iraq War," but simultaneously said, "We will not set a specific timeline."

This implies that while they do not intend to engage in a "war of attrition" lasting for years, they will not withdraw prematurely before achieving their objectives.

US Secretary of State Mike Rubio echoed a similar sentiment. Appearing before Congress, he stated, "They (Iran) are suffering immense damage," adding, "The strongest blows from the US military have yet to come. The next phase will be far harsher on Iran than it is now."

Secretary Rubio continued, "We don't know how long it will take," but emphasized, "We will continue this (attack on Iran) as long as it takes to achieve our objectives, and we will achieve those objectives."

In this context, Secretary Hegses and Chairman Kain indicated preparations for a medium- to long-term engagement during their briefing, stating that additional troops and supplies are being provided to the US Central Command leading the operation.

The US military has so far deployed thousands of troops, hundreds of fighter jets, and two aircraft carrier strike groups, dropping tens of thousands of bombs and striking over 1,000 targets, announcing they had "established local air superiority" in Iran within two days.

Furthermore, in addition to B-2 stealth strategic bombers operating from the US mainland, B-1 bombers joined the operation the previous night. The US military assesses that Iran's command and control infrastructure, naval forces, ballistic missile bases, and intelligence infrastructure have been severely damaged by the bombings.

President Trump claimed that 10 Iranian vessels were sunk. The US Central Command stated, "Just two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 vessels in the Persian Gulf, but today they have none."

Video of Israeli forces attacking Tehran, Iran [AFP Combined News]

The possibility of deploying ground troops is drawing particular attention, especially if the conflict becomes protracted. President Trump's mention that he is not ruling out such a deployment, in his vow of "revenge" for the first four US fatalities, is noteworthy.

In an interview with the US daily New York Post on the same day, he said, "Other presidents have said, 'There will be no ground troops,' but I have no 'yips' about ground troops," adding that he says, "They may not be needed," or "(we can send them) if they are needed."

In an interview with CNN, he said, "We haven't even begun to attack them hard yet," and "The big waves haven't even hit yet."

When asked at a briefing if US ground troops were currently deployed in Iran, Secretary Hegses replied, "No. However, we will not debate what we will do and what we will not do in the future," adding, "President Trump has made it clear to our enemies that we will go as far as necessary to advance America's interests."

Portrait of Khamenei killed in US-Israeli attack [AP Combined News]

The deployment of ground troops is a significant consideration because it would involve not only destroying Iran's military facilities or eliminating key figures but also directly engaging in territorial control, regime change, and the seizure of underground nuclear facilities, fundamentally altering the nature of the war. This entails a substantial risk of military casualties and the associated costs of stationing troops.

While some observers suggest the US military may be hesitant to deploy ground troops due to the "trauma" of significant troop losses in past wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a variable factor is that the Iranian military has not ceased its counterattacks even after the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei.

In retaliation, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and countries in the Middle East where US troops are stationed. The front lines appear to be widening as Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group considered an Iranian "proxy," has launched attacks against Israel.

President Trump has repeatedly indicated his willingness to tolerate a certain level of troop losses, stating, "We may have casualties. This is common in war," and "Unfortunately, there will be more sacrifices before this is over."

The significance of his choice of the Medal of Honor ceremony for war heroes and their families, the highest military honor, as his first public appearance since the start of hostilities, also lies in his emphasis on their "sacrifice" for the nation.

Trump awarding the Medal of Honor [EPA Combined News]

Ultimately, whether Iran's leadership, having lost its supreme leader, will quickly regroup and continue a "fight to the death," or surrender by raising a "white flag" to the overwhelming military might of the US and Israel, or propose negotiations, will be the decisive factor in determining the course of this war.

For the United States, other variables include domestic public opinion, which is not favorable to a war with Iran, the possibility of further casualties, and the burden of war costs. A survey conducted by CNN at the request of polling firm SSRS among 1,004 US adults from February 28, when the attack on Iran began, to the previous day, revealed that 59% of respondents did not support the decision to attack Iran. Opposition to deploying troops to Iran, where large-scale human and material damage is anticipated, was 60%, a significant gap from the 12% who were in favor.

President Trump's repeated calls for an uprising of the Iranian people and the surrender of Iranian forces can be seen as reflecting his desire to conclude the war as soon as possible while minimizing bloodshed.