PARIS - Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Friday that the United States can accomplish its objectives in Iran without committing any ground troops and that he expects the current operation to be completed in a matter of weeks.
Rubio made the comments before departing for the United States after discussions with G7 foreign ministers in France about the conflict the United States and Israel began late last month. He said U.S. aims in the campaign were focused on degrading and destroying Iran's missile and drone capabilities and the facilities that produce those weapons, along with striking at its naval and air forces.
Describing the progress so far, Rubio said the U.S. was "ahead of schedule on most of them, and we can achieve them without any ground troops, without any." He added that he expected the operation to conclude in "weeks, not months."
At the same time, Rubio said recent deployments of thousands of additional troops to the region were meant to give President Donald Trump options if unforeseen contingencies arise. He declined to discuss operational specifics.
"In terms of why there's deployments, number one, the President has to be prepared for multiple contingencies... We are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust the contingencies, should they emerge," Rubio said.
Rubio also suggested that Iran might try to establish a tolling system for the Strait of Hormuz. He said countries in Europe and Asia that benefit from trade through the waterway should contribute to efforts to ensure free passage through the strait once the conflict ends.
The comments underscore two lines of U.S. strategy as described by Rubio: a targeted military campaign aimed at specific Iranian capabilities and a parallel posture of force deployment intended to preserve decision-making flexibility at the presidential level. Rubio emphasized a short timeline for U.S. objectives while noting that some measures, including the reasoning behind troop movements, would remain operationally sensitive.
Rubio's remarks came after consultations with international counterparts and ahead of his return to the United States, as officials weigh both the execution of current strikes and the diplomatic and security tasks that may follow.