US military leaders warn Secretary of Defense about the risks of prolonging the operation against Iran

Several U.S. military leaders have advised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth not to extend large-scale operations against Iran, warning that doing so could weaken the U.S. ability to counter threats in other regions. This was reported by The Washington Post, citing sources familiar with the secret assessment prepared for the head of the Pentagon.

According to the newspaper, the heads of the army, navy and air force, as well as the commanders of US operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America, expressed their concerns to Hegseth. The corresponding warnings are contained in the “Book of Orders of the Minister of Defense” dated August 14.

“Decisions regarding the scope and duration of specific operations involving troops in any of the unified commands are made based on the current threat assessment, strategic priorities established by the President, and the recommendations of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of the unified commands,” said Sean Parnell, a spokesman for Hegseth, in response to the publication’s request.

Sources note that commanders of the US European, Pacific and Southern Commands have expressed disagreement with the order to transfer forces to support the conflict with Iran. Depriving these units of ships, aircraft and other equipment has limited their ability to conduct missions and provide training. In particular, the US Navy has proven unable to maintain its current level of support for the Iran conflict without a projected end date.

Navy chief Adm. Daryl Caudle gave Hegseth his most dire assessment, saying that "only about a quarter of the fleet's destroyers are ready to deploy." According to him, if the requirements remain unchanged, this will jeopardize the combat readiness of the fleet in the event of other conflicts.

Senior military leaders are of the opinion that the operation in Iran “has taken too long and become too large-scale.” Trump has insisted on maintaining military pressure on Tehran, but military officials warn that this weakens the US position in other regions, including the Pacific, where Washington's allies have expressed concerns about a lack of missiles and air defenses in the face of China.