US Military Warns Pentagon Chief of Risks from Prolonged War with Iran

Senior US military officials have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that a prolonged campaign against Iran is draining available reserves across the Navy, Air Force and air-defense forces.

The warnings came from the chiefs of the US land, naval and air forces and from four-star commanders overseeing operations in Europe, the Indo-Pacific and Latin America, according to the account cited in the report. Commanders from those regional commands reportedly opposed continuing to use their forces for the Iran campaign. A senior Navy official expressed a similar position.

President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Tehran, demanding that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept several US conditions for ending the conflict. Trump has also repeated that all options remain available, including renewed military operations. US Central Command has kept more than 50,000 troops on alert for months in case the president orders further strikes.

Orders issued on Aug. 14 require some troops sent to the Middle East to remain there until the end of September. Other units could stay until 2027. The prospect of extending those missions further has prompted public concern from the military leadership.

European, Indo-Pacific and Southern Command have already shifted ships, aircraft and other equipment to Central Command. The transfers have reduced their ability to conduct their own missions and full training programs, with the Navy appearing to face the greatest pressure. Army and Air Force leaders supported Hegseth’s decision to keep forces in the region but warned that the strategy carries substantial risks. The military leadership’s overall assessment is that the Iran operation, now in its sixth month, has become too large and too prolonged.