Washington, United States. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Iran’s government has been largely degraded since the war began on February 28 but remains intact and capable of attacking U.S. and allied interests in the Middle East.
Assessment of Iran’s capabilities
“The regime in Iran appears to be intact but largely degraded by Operation Epic Fury,” Gabbard said in her opening statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual hearing on Worldwide Threats to the United States, referring to the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran.
She said Iran and its proxies “remain capable of and continue to attack U.S. and allied interests in the Middle East,” adding that if the regime survives it will seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its missiles and UAV (drone) forces.
Hearing focus and demands for information
The 2-1/2-hour hearing was Gabbard’s first significant public appearance since the start of the war, after months of maintaining a low profile.
While the hearing identified China, Russia, North Korea and Iran as top adversaries, it largely focused on the Iran war, then in its third week. Lawmakers, including some of President Donald Trump’s Republicans as well as Democrats, said they wanted more information about a campaign that has killed thousands of people, disrupted the lives of millions and shaken energy and stock markets.
Democrats said Congress has not been adequately informed about a conflict costing U.S. taxpayers billions and demanded public testimony rather than classified briefings held in the past two weeks.
“The complete lack of clarity should matter to everybody,” Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado said after a testy exchange with CIA Director John Ratcliffe about the U.S. plan for eliminating the threat from Iran.
Resignation of a senior counterterrorism official
The hearing, which included Gabbard, Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel and other intelligence officials, also addressed the announcement that a top aide to Gabbard had resigned, citing the war.
Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Center, became the first senior official in Trump’s administration to resign over the conflict. The Office of the DNI oversees the counterterrorism center.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent wrote to Trump.
What information do you think Congress should receive publicly about the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran?
