Military leaders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale U.S. operations against Iran is unsustainable and risks weakening defense capabilities in other global theaters, as the bombing campaign continues with defined strategic goals but no fixed timeline.
Internal Pentagon Assessments and Global Deployment Strains
High-level military leaders have advised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran threatens American defense readiness elsewhere. According to individuals familiar with a mid-August assessment prepared for the Pentagon chief, the Navy’s top admiral alongside the heads of U.S. European Command, U.S. Pacific Command, and U.S. Southern Command disagreed with extending military deployments in the Persian Gulf region.
The discussions were detailed in the Secretary of Defense Orders Book (SDOB), a document outlining the disposition of U.S. military assets, administration priorities, and commentary from leadership. While the Army and Air Force agreed to extend certain deployments—in some cases stretching into 2027—they acknowledged the inherent risks that diverting assets poses to other theaters. These extended missions follow persistent concerns over the depletion of American weapons stockpiles, particularly missile interceptors and long-range precision munitions, while prolonged naval rotations have taken a toll on service member quality of life.
Origins and Scope of Operation Epic Fury
The ongoing military campaign began on Feb. 28, following a trigger event conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces and enabled by the United States. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that planning for the operation involved years of deliberate refinement against a specific target set. Over the 30 days preceding the strike, the joint force repositioned personnel, advanced fighter aircraft, refueling tankers, and two carrier strike groups—the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford—into the region.
President Donald J. Trump gave the final authorization on Feb. 27. U.S. Cyber Command and U.S. Space Command initiated non-kinetic actions to disable Iranian communications before a synchronized wave of more than 100 aircraft launched at 1:15 a.m. EST. The initial strikes targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
Strategic Objectives Versus Open-Ended Nation Building
Defense Secretary Hegseth emphasized during a Pentagon press briefing that the campaign has a strictly limited mandate, contrasting it sharply with prior American military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth stated, adding that the objectives are designed to destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons.
Hegseth asserted that Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions.
Recalling the June 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer—during which American forces struck the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant using 30,000-pound GBU-57 massive ordnance penetrator
bombs—the secretary maintained that while that operation obliterated the core nuclear program, Iranian leadership continued pursuing conventional shielding. Hegseth said, emphasizing that Epic Fury excludes nation-building or democracy-building goals.
Regional Reactions and Leadership Vacuum in Tehran
The conflict has unfolded alongside significant political shifts within Iran. Following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei early in the conflict, Mojtaba Khamenei was named to replace him as head of state on March 8. The younger Khamenei has not been seen in public since the war broke out in February. On Sunday, however, a statement was issued in his name calling for unity across the Muslim world. The criminal rulers of the U.S. and the illegitimate Zionist regime are the sworn enemies of this unity and friendship,
the statement read, accusing Western and regional adversaries of holding an enmity toward the entire Islamic Ummah.
