The commander of U.S. European Command has warned the Pentagon that American naval forces are insufficient to sustain the defense of Israel while also protecting U.S. interests, according to reports published on Saturday. The warning underscores how the expanding war with Iran is stretching U.S. military resources across the Middle East and Europe.
The Times of Israel reported that the head of EUCOM told superiors his navy is not enough to defend both Israel and the United States at the same time. The Washington Post said the general warned that he lacks sufficient forces to protect Israel. The reports, which did not name the officer, point to a force-planning shortfall as the Pentagon weighs a new round of strikes against Iranian energy targets.
Garowe Online, which also covered the warning, said it highlights the growing strain the conflict with Iran has placed on U.S. military resources. The assessment comes as Washington and Israel prepare possible attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure, and as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claim attacks on U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain and on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S.-Iran war has now entered its sixth month, with American warplanes striking Iranian military sites and Tehran responding with missile and drone barrages against U.S. positions across the region. At least six U.S. service members have been killed in Iranian attacks this year, and Congress has opened investigations into the strikes. Oil markets have remained on edge, with Brent crude trading near $90 a barrel after the strongest monthly gain since March.
The naval dimension of the conflict has grown steadily. U.S. Navy destroyers and carrier groups have been escorting commercial shipping through the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, and responding to attacks on tankers off Oman. At the same time, the fleet has been tasked with covering Israel’s air defense and maintaining a presence in the eastern Mediterranean, where EUCOM’s Sixth Fleet operates.
EUCOM oversees U.S. forces in Europe and the Mediterranean, and its commander’s warning suggests that assets are being pulled between theaters faster than they can be replaced. Carriers and destroyers that once rotated through European waters have been redirected toward the Gulf, leaving commanders to argue that simultaneous commitments to Israel, shipping protection and European deterrence may exceed current capacity.
The warning is likely to feed a debate in Washington over the scale of the Iran campaign. The Senate has repeatedly rejected efforts to limit the president’s war powers, while officials have raised concerns about munitions stockpiles and the ability to sustain a multi-front effort. Analysts note that any visible shortfall could also embolden Russia, which has shared electronic intelligence with Iran, and complicate deterrence in Europe at a time of heightened tension with Moscow.
The Pentagon has not publicly commented on the reported warning. Defense officials have said repeatedly that the United States retains the capability to defend its allies and interests, even as commanders privately flag the strain of the longest U.S. air campaign in the Middle East in years.
Sources: The Washington Post, The Times of Israel, Garowe Online
Author: Middle East Desk
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