Professor Paolo Becchi of the University of Genoa has warned that a potential deployment of U.S. and Israeli ground troops to Iran could result in heavy casualties for both countries.

According to the expert, launching a land operation against Iran would be extremely difficult. He noted that the country’s vast territory and population of roughly 93 million people would make such a campaign highly costly, potentially claiming thousands of American and Israeli soldiers.

Becchi also pointed to serious political and economic risks for Washington. In his assessment, U. S. President Donald Trump’s position is currently vulnerable, and a military escalation against Iran could damage the American economy while triggering a surge in global oil prices.

Earlier, Time magazine reported that Trump does not rule out sending U.S. ground forces to Iran if such a step becomes necessary to achieve the objectives of a military operation. At the same time, the American president signaled that he is not setting strict deadlines for the potential campaign.

Concerns about the broader strategic consequences of such a conflict were also raised by the American publication 19FortyFive. The outlet noted that military action against Iran could weaken the United States in a possible future confrontation with China. Its authors argued that if the conflict drags on longer than even Trump’s most optimistic expectations, the operation could bring serious strategic repercussions for Washington, even if the United States ultimately secures a military victory.