Washington, United States. The top U.S. general said Iran was fighting but was not more formidable than Washington had thought as the United States prepared what it described as the most intense day of strikes against Iran so far.
Assessment of Iran’s capabilities
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Tuesday that Iran’s performance in the conflict had not exceeded U.S. expectations. “I think they’re fighting, and I respect that, but I don’t think they’re more formidable than what we thought,” Caine said.
Strikes and Strait of Hormuz options
Caine said the United States was carrying out strikes against Iranian mine-laying vessels and that the Pentagon would look at a range of options if it was tasked with escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas transport, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week and forcing producers to halt pumping as storage fills.
Trump and Hegseth on escalation and duration
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to escalate the war with Iran if it blocked oil shipments from the Middle East, while predicting a quick end to the conflict.
At a Pentagon press conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would carry out the most intense day of strikes against Iran on Tuesday. Hegseth said the campaign would not be an endless war and that Trump would decide when it would end.
Campaign scale
Caine said the United States had carried out strikes against more than 5,000 targets in the first 10 days of the campaign, including more than 50 naval ships.
What impact do you think the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could have on global energy markets?
