Explosive Warning from US General in Europe: Israel's Protection Against Iran's Missiles in Danger
Washington, D.C. — The war with Iran is increasingly pushing U.S. forces to their limits. General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the U.S. European Command, has warned the Pentagon in writing this week, according to government officials cited by the Washington Post, that he does not have enough naval forces available to continue protecting Israel from Iranian missile attacks.
The U.S. military uses, among other things, two aircraft carriers for its attacks. (Archive photo) © U.S. Central Command/AP/dpa
U.S. Military Under Pressure: General Issues Urgent Warning to Pentagon
According to the report, Grynkewich told senior Pentagon officials that without an additional destroyer, he would be forced to prioritize the protection of the U.S. mainland over the defense of Israel. The warning shows how much the months-long war is straining U.S. military resources.
U.S. destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean have been an important part of Israel's missile defense for years. The ships, equipped with powerful radar systems and interceptor missiles, have repeatedly intercepted ballistic missiles fired from Iran at Israel. They are also used against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
At the same time, the European Command must keep its forces ready for possible Russian threats in Europe. Russia also has ballistic missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. Grynkewich's room for maneuver is further limited by maintenance problems on the available destroyers.
Not Enough Destroyers for Israel's Defense Against Iran's Missiles
The U.S. Navy has five destroyers deployed from Rota, Spain; a sixth ship is expected to join later this year. Two of them, the USS Paul Ignatius and the USS Roosevelt, were in the Mediterranean on Friday. Three more were in Rota.
Further U.S. warships are tied up closer to Iran. The aircraft carriers USS George H. W. Bush and USS Abraham Lincoln, as well as at least 15 other warships, including eleven destroyers, are in the Arabian Sea. They are involved in the blockade of Iranian ports imposed by Washington and in protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Another destroyer, the USS Gonzalez, is in the Red Sea.
The strain on U.S. forces is thus growing on several fronts at once. Tom Karako from the Center for Strategic and International Studies told the Washington Post that Grynkewich's warning highlights the challenges for the Pentagon. The war effort would affect readiness and munitions stocks. The key question now is: "What is the strategy?"
Iran War: Tehran Threatens Neighbors
After media reports of an impending large-scale U.S. attack wave on Iran, Tehran is threatening neighboring countries in the region. Muslim countries should reconsider their cooperation with the United States, otherwise they could become targets of Iranian attacks, said Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, commander of the central military command, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
Earlier in the morning (local time), the military in the Gulf state of Kuwait said it had defended itself against Iranian drone fire. Falling debris caused property damage, it said. Kuwait — like other Muslim countries in the region — hosts U.S. military bases.
Most recently, U.S. media reported that U.S. President Donald Trump was considering launching new attacks on targets in Iran as early as this weekend. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had already ordered new, multi-day attacks, but could change his mind up to the last minute. (Sources: Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Tasnim, dpa) (bb)
