When the US began the campaign against Iran six months ago, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised a quick and decisive strike that would avoid a prolonged and complicated conflict. Instead, he is now continuing the deployment of troops, which indicates that the war could drag on until next year, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing its sources, Focus writes.
This is part of a military strategy aimed at providing President Donald Trump with options in the war, sources told the publication. The Pentagon’s further troop deployment comes amid mixed signals from Trump about what might happen next.
In recent weeks, Trump has launched a campaign of economic pressure, hoping to force Iran to the negotiating table. But Tehran has shown no signs of backing down, and the United States and Iran continue to trade fire as the two sides battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
In private, Trump is discussing with his top advisers whether to declare war on Iran over, U.S. officials said, noting that Trump supports the idea. Trump has also told his advisers that he believes maintaining economic pressure will ultimately force the regime to either give up its nuclear program or collapse, they note.
Advisors have warned Trump that escalating the war with Iran beyond the recent tit-for-tat exchange of strikes could jeopardize Republicans’ chances in the November midterm elections. The president has said he does not consider the electoral consequences when making decisions about the war.
While Trump waits to see if his strategy works, the U.S. military maintains a presence in the region with 50,000 troops, in part to give the president flexibility in what he does next. Current missions include intercepting Iranian missiles, providing cover for merchant shipping in the strait, and blocking Iranian ports and coastal areas. The US military is also prepared to launch larger offensive attacks if Trump decides to escalate the war.
"The operational cadence of air defense units before this war was already one of the highest in the joint forces,“ said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He noted that prolonged deployments risk overexerting the military, slowing maintenance and hampering long-term modernization efforts.