The United States may not have sufficient military capacity to defend Israel while simultaneously protecting its own forces and interests in the Middle East, warned General Alexis Grinkiewicz, head of the U.S. European Command. According to him, a prolonged conflict with Iran could make it difficult for Washington to simultaneously fulfill both responsibilities.
According to a report in the international news outlet The Washington Post, General Grinkiewicz warned that the naval power needed to defend Israel from Iranian missile attacks and simultaneously protect U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East may not be sufficient.
The report states that he personally told Pentagon officials that ongoing tensions with Iran were putting increasing pressure on U.S. naval forces stationed in the Middle East.
Unless another destroyer is sent to the region, commanders may eventually have to choose between protecting American forces or prioritizing Israeli missile defense operations.
The report stated that the importance of this warning lies not only in the potential shortage of military equipment, but also in the fact that it comes from one of the highest-ranking US military officers.
General Grinkiewicz is not an outside analyst. He is one of the senior officials responsible for overseeing US global military operations.
His statements reflected internal Pentagon concerns that US military responsibilities around the world were placing excessive pressure on existing capabilities.
Currently, American destroyers equipped with advanced missile defense systems play a key role in Israel’s air defense. These warships can detect long-range ballistic missiles and shoot them down using SM-3 and SM-6 defense missiles.
At the same time, these destroyers are one of the most important military assets of the United States. They are also necessary to ensure the security of American bases and shipping lanes in the Pacific, to contain China, and in support of NATO allies in Europe and the Middle East.
