The President's Daily Brief - March 30th, 2026: Pentagon Plans Next Phase Of Iran War & Houthis Enter The Conflict

Episode Date: March 30, 2026

In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief: First up—new reporting reveals the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of possible ground operations inside Iran, as U.S. troops continue to surge into the region. We’ll break down what these plans could involve—and what it means for the next phase of the war. Later in the show—U.S. forces take a significant blow, as an Iranian strike wounds a dozen American troops and damages key aircraft at a Saudi air base. Plus—the Houthis enter the fight, launching their first attack on Israel since the war began. And in today’s Back of the Brief—North Korea tests a new missile engine, boosting its ability to strike the U.S. mainland. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Sundays for Dogs: Upgrade your dog’s food without the hassle—try Sundays for Dogs and get 50% off your first order at https://sundaysfordogs.com/PDB50or use code PDB50 at checkout. Superpower: Stop guessing about your health—get $20 off Superpower at https://superpower.com/pdb with code PDB. Ethos Life Insurance: Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at: https://ethos.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. First up, new reporting reveals the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of possible ground operations in Iran as more U.S. troops arrive in theater. I'll have the details.

Later in the show, an Iranian strike injures a dozen American troops and damages U.S. aircraft at a Saudi air base. Plus, another Iranian proxy enters the fight as the Houthis launched their first attack on Israel since the war began. And in today's back of the brief, North Korea, how about that, tests a new missile engine, boosting its ability to strike the U.S. mainland.

But first, today's PDB spotlight. New reporting from the Washington Post indicates the Pentagon is preparing for what could be a significant new phase of the war with Iran, weeks of potential ground operations inside the country. This comes as thousands of U.S. troops are arriving in the region. Details on what these ground operations would actually look like remain limited. According to U.S. officials, no final decision has been made by President Trump on whether to move forward.

But based on what we already know, we can start to sketch the outline. Given the numbers involved thus far, this doesn't look like the White House's intending an Iraq-style invasion. Back in 2003, the U.S. led an invasion force of roughly 150,000 troops to topple Saddam's regime. The troop numbers for this current conflict are anywhere near that size, and frankly, neither is the political appetite. Instead, what's under consideration appears to be a series of more limited, targeted operations, likely involving a mix of special operations forces and conventional infantry conducted over a period of weeks. U.S. Central Command has confirmed that thousands of Marines and sailors, including the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, aboard the USS Tripoli, are now in theater. More marine and naval forces are

inbound, along with elements of the 82nd airborne that we've been tracking here on the PDB. Bottom line, the Pentagon has been setting the table for whatever comes next. One possibility, and perhaps most likely, is a series of coastal raids aimed at neutralizing Iranian capabilities that threaten shipping in the strait of Hormuz. That would mean going after missile batteries and drone launch sites and other infrastructure tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC. The objective there is straightforward, reopen and secure the strait without committing to a long-term ground presence.

Another option that's been discussed is the seizure of key terrain, most notably Karg Island. That's Iran's primary oil export hub, but that obviously comes with serious risk. Taking the island is one thing, holding it under constant threat from Iranian drones and missiles and artillery is something else entirely. There's also the possibility of a series of quick raids designed to destroy specific targets and then withdraw quickly. From a force protection standpoint, that kind of agility may be the safer play. Now, up to this point, the war, of course, has largely been fought from the air in an environment where the U.S. and Israel have developed and maintained air superiority. Ground operations fundamentally changed the threat environment. The risks to U.S. personnel increase exponentially, and, of course, the White House also

also asked to weigh the political risks of engaging in ground operations. Boots on the ground inevitably lead to the perception of a longer-term conflict than originally imagined or explained by the administration. To date, 13 U.S. service members have been killed over the past month and more than 300 wounded, including at least a dozen injured in an Iranian strike, on Prince Sultan Air Base just this weekend. We'll have more on that later in the show. What makes this moment particularly interesting is the contrast between public messaging and private planning. On the one hand, the White House has continued to signal that this conflict could wind

down in the coming weeks, with an emphasis on negotiations and the idea that U.S. objectives can be achieved without putting troops on the ground. On the other hand, the Pentagon is clearly preparing for the opposite scenario, building out options that would involve sustained combat operations inside Iran itself. For their part, Iranian officials are acknowledging the possibility of a ground fight, publicly warning that they're ready and waiting for U.S. forces. Now, most of that is rhetoric, of course, but it's also a signal. They want to raise the perceived cost of escalation and try to deter Washington from taking that next step. All right. Coming up next, an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base and Saudi, injures at least a dozen U.S. service members.

And the Houthis enter the war on behalf of their Iranian sponsors, with their first attack on Israel. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here with a message for dog lovers. Now, if you're like me, dogs are an important part of family life. We've got two, our golden retriever Hendricks, he's a good old boy now in his 14th year, and Monty are cute but somewhat dim-witted King Charles Spaniel. To be fair, Hendricks is no rocket scientist either. Now, as you probably know, when it comes to your dog food, there always seems to be a compromise, right?

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Please for the love of everything good in this world, stop. With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird. Okay. judgment. Anyway, give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Up front payment of $45 for three-month plan equivalent to $15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com. Welcome back to the PDB. An Iranian drone and missile strike in Saudi Arabia left a dozen American troops wounded

and reportedly seriously damaged or destroyed U.S. aircraft. Now, this was a coordinated strike on Prince Sultan Air Base, about 60 miles south of Riyadh. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least one ballistic missile, along with multiple drones, struck the installation, hitting a building where U.S. personnel were located. Two troops were seriously injured, and ten others were treated for concussions. Just days earlier, the same base was hit, wounding 14 American personnel, and earlier this month, another strike on the same facility killed an American service member. In addition to the casualties, the attack reportedly caused significant damage to multiple U.S. aircraft,

including KC-135's Stratotanker refueling planes and what appears to be the destruction of an E3-century AWAC. It's an important command and control air asset. Satellite imagery and photos from the scene show the burnt rear fuselage of an E3 and its radar dome destroyed on the tarmac. The E3 is the backbone of how the U.S. manages large-scale air operations. It's built on a modified Boeing 707 platform and equipped with a rotating radar dome, and it provides 360-degree surveillance across roughly a 250-mile radius. It tracks aircraft drones and missile launches while coordinating friendly forces in real-time. It's a key resource that allows everything in the air to function as a coordinated system

rather than a collection of individual missions. The Air Force once maintained around 30 of these planes, but that number has been cut nearly in half to about 16 due to aging and readiness issues. Of those, only a handful were deployed to the Middle East ahead of the war, which means losing even one during an active campaign puts strain on the system, limiting the ability to manage airspace and detect incoming threats and coordinate complex operations in real time. And that brings us back to the strike itself.

How was Iran able to carry out not just one but multiple strikes on Prince Sultan Air Basin, such a short window with this level of precision? That's a good question. It suggests that Iran may have access to timely, high-quality intelligence on aircraft positioning and operational patterns at the installation. And that, of course, is a statement of the obvious. As we've discussed here on the PDB in the recent past, it's likely that Tehran is drawing on external support from partners like Russia and China to enhance its surveillance and targeting capabilities. Intel provided by Beijing and Moscow, that essentially improves the lethality of the Iranian regime strikes. And there's a new but not totally unexpected development in the Iran conflict.

After weeks of holding back, the Iranian-backed Houthis have now launched their first attack on Israel since the war began, opening another front in the conflict. The Houthis fired what they described as a barrage of ballistic missiles toward Israeli military targets on Saturday. Air defenses in the state intercepted at least one of those incumbent. missiles, and at this point there are no reports of injuries or casualties, or whether the other projectiles even made it to Israeli airspace. Regular PDB listeners will know that for weeks the Houthis had been signaling that they were ready to enter the fight, threatening escalation while ultimately holding back. And that hesitation mattered. It kept another front from opening,

and it gave the U.S. and its allies at least some room to contain how far this conflict could spread in the region. Well, that restraint is now gone. and the Houthis, a key proxy for the Iranian regime, have previously demonstrated their ability to disrupt another one of the most important maritime corridors in the world. In response to Israel's war in Gaza, the Houthis carried out a sustained campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, what they openly called a, quote, naval blockade. In total, they sank four vessels, including at least two cargo ships, killing at least eight sailors and forcing major disruptions along that critical global trade route.

This is a terror group that has already shown its willingness to weaponize global commerce and do it in a way that directly pressures the U.S. and its allies. And, of course, that is a problem now more than ever, because at the same time that Iran has been tightening its grip around the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea has become an even more important fallback route for energy and commercial traffic. Hours before the attack, a Houthi military spokesman warned their, quote, fingers are on the trigger, laying out conditions for why they would join the fray, increased strikes on Iran or expanded international involvement alongside the U.S. and Israel, or the use of regional waters for operations against Iran.

And it also puts renewed pressure on something that the U.S. believed it had already dealt with. Just one year ago, President Trump authorized a sustained military campaign against Houthi positions after they targeted American forces and maritime traffic. Operation Roughrider saw U.S. warships and aircraft. carry out strikes across Yemen, degrading the terror group's capabilities, and sending a clear message to Tehran about the risks of proxy escalation. That campaign ended in a ceasefire brokered by Oman, with Trump saying the Houthis had, quote, capitulated and agreed to halt their attacks. At least, that was the understanding at the time. Obviously, that agreement has now been

kicked to the curb. Okay, coming up next in the back of the brief, Kim Jong-un, once again throws his teddy out of the crib, demanding that the world pay him some attention, unveiling a new missile engine capable of reaching the U.S. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever left the doctor's office feeling like you, well, got nothing out of it, just standard instructions to eat right and exercise? Okay, thanks for that. Well, that's why I want to tell you about superpower. It's a tremendous app that can help you stay on top of your health. One lab draw tracks over 100 biomarkers. Their app provides detailed information on your heart, liver, thyroid, hormones, metabolism,

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Tell them that the PDB sent you. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, whether you're in a one or a two-income household, if you're a breadwinner, right, you're carrying a lot of responsibility. You know what I'm talking about. Mortgage payments, a tuition, everyday bills that don't just disappear, should something happen to you or your partner. Now, thinking about it, though, that's the problem. Thinking about the what-ifs in life can be overwhelming. But I'm here to tell you that taking steps to protect your family financially is now a lot easier than it used to be. It's why I recommend ethos life insurance. It's fast, it's easy, and 100% online. You get a quote in seconds, you apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage up to $3 million. Some policies are as low as $30,

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500 kilo-neutons of thrust, which is notably more powerful than anything tested by the regime to date. It was built using carbon fiber materials, which indicates that Pyongyang is trying to make these systems lighter, more mobile, and faster to deploy. Now, the real story here isn't just the engine itself. It's what moving toward solid fuel technology allows Kim to do next. Unlike older liquid fuel missiles, which require lengthy fueling before launch, solid fuel systems can be fired on short notice. And what that really means in practice is less time for the U.S. and its regional allies to detect, track, and stop a launch before it happens. So when you hear solid fuel, think speed, and more importantly, think reduced warning time. Military analysts told Fox News that engines like

this could support smaller, more mobile long-range missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Having said that, there are still real limits to what North Korea has demonstrated. Pyongyang has yet to prove it can field a fully reliable intercontinental ballistic missile, especially when he comes to ensuring a nuclear warhead could survive the extreme heat of atmospheric re-entry. And in this latest test, key data, such as total combustion time, were not disclosed. That missing data matters, because without it, it's much harder to assess how close this system actually is to being operational. In fact, a research fellow at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute warned the results, could be overstated, much like many military and weapon capabilities coming out of the regime,

suggesting that Kim could well be exaggerating their progress. And this engine test follows up flurry of military exercises and other hardware testing in recent weeks. Kim's been busy inspecting special operations training, observing the testing of a new main battle tank, and overseeing combined arms drills designed to better integrate ground and missile forces. South Korea and the U.S. say they're closely monitoring the whole. latest developments emerging out of Kim's regime. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Monday the 30th of March.

Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And hopefully, you had a chance to catch our weekend show, the PDB Situation Report. Great analysis this weekend from both Steve Yates and George Barros on the Iran and Ukraine conflicts. You can always catch the latest episodes on our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief and, of course, on podcast platforms everywhere. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed.

Stay safe. Stay cool.