US Military Commanders Warn of Operational Strain Amid Iran Campaign

According to a report by The Washington Post, ten senior US military commanders have warned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in an internal classified document that sustained military operations against Iran could erode US operational capacity in other global theaters. The document, prepared in mid-August, reviews the deployment of US forces, naval vessels, and weapon systems worldwide. Commanders from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, alongside those responsible for operations in Europe, the Pacific, and Latin America, warned that the continued transfer of assets to the Middle East is already hindering their ability to conduct missions and training elsewhere. Admiral Daryl Caudle, commander of the US Navy, reportedly presented a stark assessment, warning that the Navy cannot sustain the current level of support indefinitely, especially without a clear end date. He noted that only about a quarter of the Navy's destroyers are currently in a state of operational readiness. Since the start of the campaign, US Central Command has maintained over 50,000 troops on alert in the region. The Pentagon declined to comment on the specifics of the classified document, stating that decisions regarding the scale and duration of deployments are made based on threat assessments, presidential priorities, and the recommendations of senior military leadership.