US official warns Trump is planning for a wider war with Iran as military build up accelerates
Reports that the Pentagon is increasing the number of military aircraft in the region signal Washington is positioning for a longer and potentially wider campaign, reinforcing the geopolitical risk premium already embedded in oil and shipping markets. That build-up, paired with warnings that air defence and long range munitions stockpiles are running low, suggests the US is trying to project greater capability even as its ability to sustain operations is questioned from within. Any expansion of the air presence near the Strait of Hormuz raises the stakes for tanker traffic and regional energy infrastructure, a chokepoint sensitivity underscored by defence analysts warning against ground operations there. With Iran no longer honouring the bilateral memorandum of understanding and Trump declining to rule out ground forces, traders are likely to keep pricing in elevated volatility rather than anticipating near term de-escalation.
--- The Pentagon quietly building up its air power in the region says more about where this war is headed than any public statement.
Summary:
- CENTCOM said Sunday a US service member was killed in action in Iraq and that unidentified remains had been found at the site of Friday's Iranian missile attack on a base in Jordan
- At least three, and possibly four, US service members have now been killed since combat resumed a week ago, with the war now in its fifth month
- The Iraq death occurred Saturday during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, according to Centcom
- President Trump called the initial two Jordan deaths a very sad thing and told NewsNation he could not care less about Iran's decision to abandon the bilateral memorandum of understanding reached a month ago, the Washington Post reported
- An unnamed US official said the US is planning for a wider war and that the Pentagon was increasing the number of military aircraft in the region, while cautioning that dwindling air defence and long range munitions stockpiles could limit any expansion
- Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned that US forces are not prepared for ground operations near the Strait of Hormuz or for standoff strikes from Iran
The United States and Iran moved closer to all out conflict on Sunday, with at least three and possibly four American service members killed since fighting resumed a week ago and the war now stretching into its fifth month. US Central Command said a service member was killed in action in Iraq, while a separate set of unidentified remains was found at the Jordan base struck by Iran on Friday, adding to the toll from an attack that had already killed two US troops.
Centcom said the Iraq death occurred Saturday during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone. President Trump described the initial Jordan deaths as a very sad thing, and in a brief call with NewsNation said he could not care less about Iran's move to abandon the bilateral memorandum of understanding the two sides had reached a month earlier.
Behind the public statements, one US official (cited in the Washington Post, gated) familiar with internal administration discussions said Washington is planning for a wider war. The official said the Pentagon was increasing the number of military aircraft in the region, a build-up that points to preparations for an extended and potentially broader campaign. But the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media, cautioned that any expansion of operations will be constrained by shrinking stockpiles of air defence and long range munitions, as well as limits on surging additional troops and aircraft into the region due to battle damage. The official added that current resources are not enough to safely sustain operations and suggested the White House may not be aware of the shortfall.
Military experts have echoed concerns about US readiness. Seth Jones, who heads the defence and security department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it would be a mistake to place ground forces on islands in or along the shores of the Strait of Hormuz, adding that US forces are not prepared for standoff strikes from Iran. Trump has declined to rule out ground operations inside Iran. The latest deaths came on the eighth consecutive day of bombing since a negotiated ceasefire collapsed following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran said were a response to violations of the memorandum of understanding.
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.提供 MainLink：Investinglive RSS Breaking News Feed
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