Iran 'readies one million troops in preparation for massive US ground invasion'

The source claimed that young Iranians have been applying in their droves to enlist in the army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the volunteer Basij militia.

They also issued a dire warning to President Donald Trump, urging him not to attempt to seize control of the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The insider said: "America wants to open the Strait through suicide and self-destruction - that's fine.

"We are prepared for them to act on their suicide strategy, and for the Strait to remain closed."

The Iranian state media outlet reported: "As speculation grows about the possibility of America's historic folly of entering a ground battle on Iran's southern front, a wave of enthusiasm has formed among Iran's ground fighters to create a historic hell for the Americans on Iranian soil.

"He noted that in addition to organising over one million fighters for ground combat, a massive influx of applications from young Iranians has poured into the centres of the Basij, the Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Army in recent days to participate in this fight as well."

The buildup comes amid the US President's threats to seize and occupy Iran's Kharg Island.

The small island in the Gulf, measuring roughly five miles long and up to three miles wide, sits about 17 miles from Iran's northwestern coastline.

It is widely considered the Islamic Republic's most sensitive economic asset and serves as the nerve centre of Tehran's oil export operations, with around 90 per cent of the country's crude shipments flowing through its terminals.

Last week, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that American forces could "take out the island anytime we want", adding that it "sits there so totally unprotected".

And late on Thursday night, the Wall Street Journal revealed that the Pentagon is looking at sending as many as 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East.

Department of War officials with knowledge of the planning said the move would give Mr Trump more military options - even as he weighs peace talks with Tehran.

But the States may also be facing a dire set-back in the region.

As many as 13 US bases across the Middle East have become almost uninhabitable as a result of Iranian attacks, the New York Times has reported.

Extensive damage to the American installations across Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has forced some US troops to be evacuated.

Meanwhile, IRGC leaders are now calling for Tehran to go one step further and pursue the construction of a nuclear bomb.

Hardliners within the elite military force are believed to have become a dominant force within Iran after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The 86-year-old deceased leader is said to have issued a religious decree against the production, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons, labelling them "haram" under Islam.

But now, the regime increasingly believes it has nothing to lose by pursuing weapons of mass destruction, sources told Reuters.

On Thursday, the US President extended the deadline to not target the Islamic Republic's energy facilities.

He wrote on his Truth Social platform: "Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well."

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter