4 U.S. military commanders oppose continuing war with Iran

The heads of the European, Indo-Pacific, and Southern Commands, as well as the Navy commander, told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that a prolonged operation in the Middle East is unsustainable and weakens the U.S. ability to respond to threats in other regions, including homeland defense. Currently, over 50,000 American troops are in the Middle East: some Hegseth left until the end of September, others until 2027. The military points to depleted stocks of Patriot, THAAD, and Tomahawk systems; during the war, the U.S. lost about a quarter of its MQ-9 Reaper drones. The Pentagon called the leak of the classified document containing the objections a crime and 'betrayal,' but did not deny the disagreements themselves.