Iran could significantly increase U.S. casualties if its elite military and proxy forces shift to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the region, a leading military analyst has warned.

Michael Eisenstadt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy spoke as the Pentagon moved elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division into the Middle East amid a new escalation in the conflict, according to reports.

“Iran has large infantry units in its military that are equivalent to the brigade combat team of the 82nd Airborne,” Eisenstadt, a former U.S. Army Reserve officer, told Fox News Digital.

“The 82nd Force is too small to cause significant harm to Iran, but it is large enough to be vulnerable to Iranian strikes, and this would enable Iran to significantly increase U.S. casualties,” he said.

HEGSETH WARNS ‘MORE CASUALTIES’ EXPECTED IN OPERATION EPIC FURY AGAINST IRAN

Eisenstadt, who has worked as a U.S. government military analyst, claimed that, even if major conventional operations begin to wind down in the Middle East region, the danger may only evolve rather than disappear.

“We could see an end to major combat operations, with activity shifting to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the Gulf and other gray-zone activities by Iran,” he said.

“Think of the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War with Iraq, in which we had to contain the Iraqis for a decade after a very successful war.”

US COULD TAKE IRAN’S MAIN OIL EXPORT HUB ‘AT A TIME OF OUR CHOOSING,’ JACK KEANE SAYS

Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported Wednesday that the U.S. has ordered the deployment of an additional 82nd Airborne forces to the region.

The contingent is expected to include Maj. Gen. Brandon R. Tegtmeier, the division commander, elements of his headquarters staff, and infantry battalions from the division’s Immediate Response Force. 

Officials also indicated that the total number of troops ultimately sent could still change.

Eisenstadt said this new deployment is intended to increase pressure on Tehran as the U.S. pushes for new ceasefire terms, set in place by President Donald Trump.

WINNING THE BATTLES, LOSING THE WAR? AMERICA MUST DEFINE THE ENDGAME IN IRAN

“This deployment is intended to create leverage over Iran and pressure it to accept U.S. terms for a ceasefire agreement. It would also create military options if Iran rejects those terms,” he said.

In that scenario, he said, the 82nd could potentially operate alongside Marine expeditionary units in operations to seize and hold terrain, including Kharg Island, located roughly 20 miles off Iran’s Gulf coast.

U.S. forces struck military targets there March 13, destroying more than 90 Iranian military sites while deliberately sparing key oil infrastructure, according to multiple reports.

IRAN’S REMAINING WEAPONS: HOW TEHRAN CAN STILL DISRUPT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

“The brigade combat team of the 82nd could work with the 11th and 31st MEUs, or independently, to seize and hold terrain — such as Kharg Island,” Eisenstadt said.

“This would provide leverage over Iran by denying it the ability to export oil and helping end the war on terms favorable to the U.S.”

“There are risks involved though, because Iranian units on the mainland could bombard Kharg Island and inflict casualties on U.S. troops there also,” Eisenstadt said.

JACK KEANE WARNS CEASEFIRE WITH IRAN WOULD ‘PLAY RIGHT INTO THEIR HANDS’ AS TRUMP SIGNALS DEAL PROGRESS

The latest military buildup comes as the conflict that began with Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, has also centered on the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran restricting access.

“The 82nd deployment is intended to increase psychological pressure on Iran and support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so it can once again be used by all countries,” Eisenstadt explained.

The 82nd Airborne is one of the U.S. military’s premier rapid-response units, trained to parachute into hostile or contested territory to secure key ground and airfields.

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Portions of the division have also spent recent days at the Joint Readiness Training Center, sharpening infiltration, surveillance, combat and resupply skills, Axios reported.

“Iranian military officials have welcomed news of the dispatch of these units to the Gulf because it potentially creates options for them to impose costs on the U.S.,” Eisenstadt said.

Published on
25/03/2026 – 20:30 GMT+1

Imagine a former five-star army general in the same room as an anti-war activist? That is what we witness on this latest edition of The Ring, Euronews’ weekly debate show.

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Riho Terras, an Estonian general and centre-right MEP, went face-to-face with far-left Turkish-born German MEP Özlem Demirel on the role of the EU in the ongoing war in the Middle East.

As the conflict enters its fourth week, EU leaders have called for “de-escalation, the protection of civilians, and restraint,” while avoiding direct involvement. But the question of whether Brussels should take a stronger stance has exposed deep divisions.

“We know from history that military means and wars never brought democracy to this region,” Demirel said, adding starkly: “Bombs fall, the stock markets rise, people die.”

Riho Terras disagreed and took a more security-focused line, defending the need for military strength in global politics. “Nobody listens to somebody who does not have military means,” he argued, stressing that diplomacy alone is insufficient without power behind it.

This episode of The Ring is anchored by Méabh Mc Mahon, produced by Luis Albertos and Amaia Echevarria, and edited by Vassilis Glynos.

Watch The Ring on Euronews TV or in the player above and send us your views by writing to thering@euronews.com

Grab your wands and polish your broomsticks, because Hogwarts is calling. HBO has released the first trailer for its upcoming “Harry Potter” series, inviting audiences to return to the Wizarding World with a fresh take on the iconic series. Season 1 will premiere during Christmas 2026, the network says.

The trailer starts out by showing Harry living in his cupboard room under the stairs at the Dursleys’ home. He’s bullied by his cousin Dudley and gets a painful haircut by his Aunt Petunia, who tells him he’s not special — until he gets his acceptance letter to Hogwarts. The trailer then shows Hagrid explaining the Wizarding World to Harry and teases some information about his deceased parents. With his luggage piled onto his trolley, Harry runs through the gateway at Platform 9 3/4 to board the Hogwarts Express.

On the train, he sees Ron hugging his mother goodbye as he boards. The two sit down on the train with Hermione, and Ron asks him “Are you really Harry Potter?” There’s also a montage that show the trio exploring Hogwarts, Harry unwrapping a Quidditch broomstick and quick looks at Dumbledore, Snape, Draco Malfoy, Mr. Ollivander, the Sorting Hat and more.

Dominic McLaughlin stars as the young Harry Potter, joined by Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Together, they navigate the challenges of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, forming close friendships and facing the rising threat of Lord Voldemort.

The ensemble also includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Bel Powley and Daniel Rigby as Petunia and Vernon Dursley and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.

The series is structured as a faithful retelling of J.K. Rowling’s novels, with each season adapting one book from the seven-part saga. Fans can expect iconic moments brought to life, from the magical classrooms to the soaring Quidditch pitch. A first-look image previously released by HBO showed Harry in his Gryffindor cloak walking toward the Quidditch field, signaling the production’s attention to detail and reverence for the source material.

Filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the U.K., the series is led by showrunner Francesca Gardiner, with “Succession” director Mark Mylod taking on multiple episodes. Executive producers include Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts and David Heyman.

The “Harry Potter” series is set to give fans a chance to step back into the magic that has captivated generations.