Top military command across multiple branches and commands warned that prolonged large-scale operations were unsustainable.
The Washington Post spoke with multiple officials familiar with a bi-weekly assessment by top military officials on the status of the armed forces. The heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force and the commanders overseeing operations throughout Europe (EUROCOM), Asia (INDOPACCOM) and Latin America (SOUTHCOM) warned Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in the August 14 edition of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book (SDOB).
The SDOB said that the deployment of some of the troops will extend at least through September, while others will remain in the Middle East until 2027. The leaders of the US commands in Europe, South America, and East Asia, along with the Navy, objected to the continued deployments, but said they would carry out the orders. The Army and Air Force explained the extended deployments came with significant risk.
One person familiar with the assessment told The Post that the war in Iran has been “too much for too long.” A second explained the outlook for the military is now “more dire” overall.
SOUTHCOM and EUROCOM told Hegseth that military resources provided to the Middle East have interfered with the ability to conduct homeland defense operations. The Naval Operations chief said the Navy could not sustain the current level of operations.
The US has depleted a significant portion of its missile and interceptor stockpiles during the early months of the conflict. The blockade has strained the surface fleet. After suicide attempts on the USS Abraham Lincoln, Washington called the ship back to the US. The USS George Washington replaced the Lincoln, leaving East Asia without an aircraft carrier.
