Washington, March 30 : US lawmakers are sharply divided over the prospect of deploying ground troops in Iran, with senior politicians warning of escalating risks, unclear objectives and the need for Congressional approval.

The debate has intensified amid media reports of potential military escalation. CNN reported that â??thousands more US service members arrive in the Middle East, as a new front opens in the war,â?? while President Donald Trump said the conflict is â??not finished yet.â??

Democratic Senator Andy Kim cautioned against deeper military involvement, calling the moment one of the most consequential in recent memory. â??We cannot have American troops on the ground in Iran,â?? he told CNN, warning that such a move would be â??such a risky operation.â??

Kim questioned the strategic clarity of the mission, saying it would â??only prolong it and increase the risk at a time that we have seen already so many service members put at harm's way.â??

He also raised concerns over the lack of a defined endgame. â??Itâ??s a constantly changing objective,â?? he said, reflecting broader unease among lawmakers about the administrationâ??s war strategy.

Republicans, however, defended the administrationâ??s approach, framing it as necessary to counter Iranâ??s capabilities. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said the focus remains on eliminating threats linked to nuclear and missile programmes.

â??Thatâ??s the real threat they pose to the United States and the rest of the world that President Trump is working to take out,â?? Scalise told ABC News, adding that operations were â??getting closeâ?? to achieving their goals.

He stressed that the administration had engaged Congress through classified briefings involving both parties.

Still, divisions persist even within Republican ranks. Congresswoman Nancy Mace told CNN any decision to deploy troops must go through lawmakers. â??If we're going to do that, then come to Congress and get the proper authorities to do so,â?? she said.

Mace also underscored concerns about the human cost. â??I worry about the impact of war on our troops and our sons and daughters that we're sending into war,â?? she said.

Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam echoed calls for Congressional oversight. â??This president should be coming to Congress nowâ?¦ especially for putting in ground troops,â?? he told the CNN.

The political divide reflects wider uncertainty over US objectives, including whether the focus is dismantling Iranâ??s nuclear capability, targeting missile systems or pursuing regime change.

/IANS