What does this map track? This is the live ground operations tracker for the Iran-Israel-US war 2026 (Operation Epic Fury, launched February 27, 2026). It maps confirmed ground force positions, front lines, unit movements, and territorial control changes across the full theater — with a primary focus on the US military buildup for a potential Iran ground invasion and IRGC / Artesh defensive positions inside Iran, plus the active IDF ground operation in southern Lebanon as a secondary front.
US ground invasion of Iran — current status: As of July 2, 2026 (Day 126), no US ground invasion of Iran has occurred, and none is expected: the US-Iran war is governed by the signed June 17 memorandum (in effect), under which the US naval blockade was lifted June 18 and the Strait of Hormuz reopened. After a late-June strike cycle the two sides agreed to a stand-down on June 29 and resumed indirect talks in Qatar. Throughout the war the US relied on air and naval power and a blockade rather than a ground invasion, while pre-positioning forces in the theater. President Trump has said US forces will remain in the Gulf region “for a little while” and warned the US would resume strikes if Iran violates the deal, but a ground invasion is not part of the current posture.
IRGC and Artesh ground positions: Iranian ground force elements tracked include the IRGC Ground Forces, IRGC Quds Force (directing proxy networks), the Artesh (conventional Iranian Army), and Iran-backed proxies — Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq, and Houthi forces in Yemen. Positions are sourced from CENTCOM releases, verified satellite imagery, and OSINT wire feeds.
Lebanon front (secondary): The IDF launched ground operations in southern Lebanon on March 2, 2026 after Hezbollah entered the war, advancing to establish a buffer zone south of the Litani River. As of July 2, 2026, Israel holds that buffer zone and has said it will not withdraw, even as the US-Iran memorandum calls for a ceasefire on all fronts including Lebanon. The front flared on June 19 when Israel struck roughly 150 targets (about 47 killed per the Lebanese Health Ministry) after a Hezbollah attack killed four Israeli soldiers, before a US/Qatar-brokered Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire was renewed the same afternoon. This remains the war's most active front and is tracked alongside the main Iran theater.
What counts as a ground event? Troop advances and retreats, armored vehicle movements, artillery and rocket barrages, river crossings, encirclements, headquarters strikes, and territorial control changes. Air strikes and missile events are excluded — tracked separately on the Air Strikes map.
Sources & verification: All events sourced from CENTCOM releases, IDF statements, AP, Reuters, Al Jazeera, and the IranWarLive OSINT pipeline. Low-confidence events are flagged. Chronological ground event ledger: Daily War Recap. Machine-readable data: /feed.json · Crawler instructions: /llms.txt.
Is the US planning a ground invasion of Iran in 2026?
No US ground invasion of Iran has occurred, and as of July 2, 2026 none is expected. The US-Iran war is now governed by the signed June 17 memorandum, with the naval blockade lifted and the Strait of Hormuz reopened. Throughout the war the US used air power, naval forces, and a blockade rather than a ground invasion. US forces remain in the Gulf region, and Trump has warned of renewed strikes if Iran violates the deal, but ground invasion is not part of the current posture.
Where are US troops deployed for the Iran war in 2026?
CENTCOM has confirmed over 50,000 US military personnel in the Middle East theater as of March 2026. Elements include the 82nd Airborne Division, MEUs from the USS Tripoli ARG (31st MEU), and carrier strike groups including the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald Ford (moved to Red Sea April 17). Additional US forces are based in Qatar (Al Udeid), Bahrain (5th Fleet HQ), Kuwait, and Iraq.
What is the current front line in the Iran war 2026?
As of July 2, 2026 (Day 126), there is no conventional front line between the US and Iran, and the ceasefire is strained but holding, with diplomacy paused for Khamenei’s July 4–9 funeral. A late-June strike cycle (June 26-28) saw the US strike Iranian coastal and military sites and Iran fire drones and ballistic missiles at US Gulf bases, but the two sides agreed to stand down on June 29 and no strikes have been exchanged since; indirect talks resumed in Qatar on June 30. The fighting has been concentrated at sea (the Strait of Hormuz) and in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli military holds a buffer zone roughly a fifth of the country deep. A June 26 Israel-Lebanon framework set a sequenced, disarmament-first partial IDF pullback, but Hezbollah rejected it as “null and void” and Israeli strikes have continued.
What Iranian ground forces are fighting in the 2026 war?
Iran's ground actors include the IRGC Ground Forces, IRGC Quds Force (directing proxies), the Artesh (conventional army), and Iran-backed groups — Hezbollah in Lebanon, the PMF in Iraq, and Houthi forces in Yemen. The Artesh has in some areas reportedly resisted IRGC hardline command. All confirmed positions are tracked here from CENTCOM and verified OSINT.
Has Israel launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in 2026?
Yes. The IDF launched ground operations in southern Lebanon on March 2, 2026 after Hezbollah entered the war, advancing to establish a buffer zone south of the Litani River. As of July 2, 2026, Israel holds that zone and says it will not withdraw; the front flared on June 19 before a US/Qatar-brokered ceasefire was renewed. Key contested areas have included Khiam, Naqoura, Nabatieh, and the Bekaa Valley. As of July 2, 2026, Israel holds a buffer zone in southern Lebanon roughly a fifth of the country deep, and Syria — whose foreign minister made his first official Beirut visit on July 2 — says it would intervene against Hezbollah only at the Lebanese government’s request. A US-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework signed June 26 sets a sequenced, disarmament-first partial IDF pullback from two pilot zones handed to the Lebanese army, but Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem rejected it as “null and void” a day later, Israeli strikes have continued, and Lebanon’s toll has reached at least 4,219 since March 2.
How is this different from the main Iran war map?
The Air Strikes map tracks all kinetic events — missile strikes, drone attacks, air operations, and naval engagements. This Ground Operation map tracks exclusively ground-force events: troop movements, armor, artillery, river crossings, and territorial control changes across the full Iran-Israel-US theater.
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