Top U.S. military commanders just told Pete Hegseth something he probably didn’t want to hear about the Iran war. Senior defense leaders issued a stark classified warning about the cost of prolonging operations in the Middle East.
Senior US commanders warned that prolonged Iran operations could weaken military readiness elsewhere
Several U.S. military leaders warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran risks weakening their ability to confront threats elsewhere, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
The warnings appeared in the Aug. 14 edition of the classified Secretary of Defense Orders Book. The heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force prepared the assessment alongside four-star commanders overseeing operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The document directs some troops deployed in the Middle East to remain through September and others into 2027.
Leaders of U.S. European Command, Pacific Command and Southern Command responded with a “non-concur.” This designation means they disagree with Hegseth’s order to extend their forces but will execute it regardless. The geographic combatant commands have had ships, aircraft and equipment pulled away to support the Iran conflict.
Army and Air Force leadership concurred with Hegseth’s extension plan but emphasized significant risk. One person familiar with the assessment described the overall tenor as the Iran operation being “too much for too long.”
Adm. Daryl Caudle, the chief of Naval Operations, provided the most concerning picture. He conveyed that barely one-fourth of the Navy’s destroyer fleet remains ready to deploy. That figure marks a sharp decline from prewar levels. He also warned the Navy cannot sustain current support levels without an anticipated end date.
The 82nd Airborne Division will see its deployment extended to a full year. Maj. Gen. Brandon R. Tegtmeier acknowledged the difficulty in a letter to the division community Sunday. He wrote that leaders “understand that a longer tour weighs heavily on every household, including our own.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that decisions regarding force commitments reflect “the current threat assessment, strategic priorities established by the President, and the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
