Iran30 August, 20263 min read
U.S. Military Leaders Tell Pete Hegseth Iran Operations Are Too Much For Too Long
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Military leaders warn extended Iran operations are unsustainable and risk weakening capability elsewhere. Assessment prepared for Defense Secretary Hegseth details risks of prolonged campaign.
5 outlets told this the same way.
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Extending the Iran war
Several U.S. military leaders advised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and risks weakening the United States’ ability to confront threats elsewhere, including on US soil, according to people familiar with a classified assessment prepared for the Pentagon chief.
The warnings were detailed for Hegseth in the Aug. 14 edition of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book, and the assessment said the Iran operation had reached a six-month mark and was “too much for too long,” according to one person familiar with the document.
The Washington Post said the warnings appeared in the Secretary of Defense Orders Book and described the assessment to the newspaper on the condition of anonymity because the document is classified.
The same assessment said U.S. Central Command had kept a force of more than 50,000 troops on alert for months in case the president orders additional attacks, and the Aug. 14 orders book directed some troops deployed in the Middle East to remain there through September and some others into 2027.
Non-concurrence and strain
The Washington Post reported that leaders of U.S. European Command, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Southern Command, along with the Navy’s top admiral, responded with what the Secretary of Defense Orders Book characterized as a “non-concur,” meaning they disagree with the secretary’s order to extend their forces but will execute it nevertheless.
In the same reporting, the paper said the geographic combatant commands overseeing U.S. operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America had their ships, aircraft and other equipment pulled away to support the Iran conflict, limiting their ability to conduct missions and ensure proper training.
The Washington Post also said Army and Air Force leadership concurred with Hegseth’s desire to extend deployed forces, but each emphasized that doing so would come with significant risk.
In the Israel Hayom account, the source said senior commanders warned Hegseth that transferring ships and surveillance aircraft to Central Command diminished their ability to fulfill missions connected to the defense of the United States, and that the Navy had shouldered an especially heavy burden.
Sanctions, budgets, and risk
Beyond the internal military warnings, the American Conservative reported that the U.S. Treasury announced plans to cut Banque Misr’s branches in the United Arab Emirates out of the dollar system as part of “Operation Economic Outcast,” with Banque Misr UAE given 30 days before revoking correspondence rights with American financial institutions for its UAE operation comes into effect.
The American Conservative quoted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying, “Treasury promised to sever every economic lifeline Tehran has left and finally end the threat of the Iranian regime,” and it said Treasury estimated that between January 2024 and June 2026 Banque Misr UAE processed approximately $1.8 billion for 103 companies potentially part of Iranian shadow banking networks.
TeleSUR English, citing internal Pentagon documents and testimonies obtained by The Guardian, said the U.S. Navy transferred funds from payroll accounts to finance combat operations against Iran, deferring maintenance and depleting ammunition stockpiles, and it quoted a Navy official saying, “The money for payroll was robbed to pay for overseas contingencies and is being backfilled by money that hasn’t been spent.”
TeleSUR English also said the Pentagon requested $67 billion in emergency funding in late July, including $18.2 billion specifically to replenish advanced Patriot missiles, Navy Tomahawks, and Army THAAD interceptors, and it listed $5.75 billion for THAAD interceptors and $1.9 billion for SM-6 missiles.