Senior U.S. military leaders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and could weaken America’s ability to respond to threats elsewhere, including threats to the U.S. homeland, according to The Washington Post.

The warnings were included in an Aug. 14 classified Pentagon assessment that reviewed the worldwide availability of U.S. warships, aircraft, personnel and weapons systems. Military leaders said the Iran campaign has pulled ships, aircraft and other assets away from Europe, Asia and Latin America, limiting training and reducing readiness in those regions.

Some U.S. forces in the Middle East have been ordered to remain through September, while other deployments have been extended into 2027. The heads of U.S. European Command, Pacific Command and Southern Command, along with the Navy’s top admiral, formally objected to further extensions even while agreeing to carry out the orders. Army and Air Force leaders accepted additional extensions but warned that doing so comes with significant risk.

The Navy has raised the sharpest concerns. Adm. Daryl Caudle, the chief of naval operations, warned that the Navy cannot sustain its current level of support for the Iran campaign with no clear end date. Barely one-quarter of the Navy’s destroyer fleet is currently ready for deployment, according to people familiar with the assessment.

The prolonged conflict has also strained key U.S. weapons stocks. Patriot and THAAD air-defense interceptors, Tomahawk missiles and Reaper drones have all been affected, while many Air Force units sent to the Middle East are slated to remain there into 2027. The Trump administration has disputed reports that the U.S. is facing munitions shortages.

Overall, one person familiar with the assessment described the view among senior military leadership as the six-month Iran operation having been “too much for too long.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)