Bitcoin held near $66,500 as investors digested fresh reports of potential U.S. ground options in Iran, keeping geopolitical risk squarely in focus ahead of the U.S. market reopen.
The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has been drawing up plans for limited ground operations in Iran that could run for weeks, including contingencies involving Special Operations forces and conventional infantry. Possible targets under consideration reportedly include Kharg Island and other coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz. The planning was described as raids rather than a full-scale invasion, and it remains unclear whether President Donald Trump would authorize such action as the conflict moves into its fifth week.
Despite the military planning, senior U.S. officials have continued to emphasize a diplomatic track. On March 26, Senator Marco Rubio said the conflict should last “weeks, not months” and suggested U.S. goals could be achieved without deploying ground troops, even as contingency options remain on the table. Regional diplomacy is also ongoing: the Associated Press reported mediators met in Pakistan to pursue talks aimed at ending the monthlong war, even as fighting continued and both sides exerted pressure on critical energy and security routes.
Markets took the latest headlines in stride over the weekend. Bitcoin traded in a tight range around $66,561 on Sunday after earlier volatility linked to the conflict pushed the price below $69,000 during the week. That muted weekend move follows a recent pattern in which crypto assets have sold off when conflict headlines intensify and risk appetite wanes. Traders will be watching closely for sharper reactions when U.S. markets reopen and new developments emerge.
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