The top U.S. general in Europe says he may soon not have the resources needed to protect both the United States and Israel from ballistic missiles.
Gen. Alexus Grynkewich has sent the Pentagon a private message warning them of the grim situation while also requesting more resources to the Middle East, sources have told The Washington Post.
Grynkewich reportedly warned the Pentagon that “without another Navy destroyer he will be forced to choose defense of the United States ‘homeland’ over that of Israel.”
The eerie admission showcases the pain Iran has managed to inflict on American defense resources after five months of war.
With the peace talks breaking down and strikes resuming on a near-daily basis last month, the U.S. Navy has been particularly stretched thin as it’s tasked with intercepting missiles destined for both U.S. bases in the region as well as Israel.
American sailors have also been tasked with blockading Iranian ports as part of President Donald Trump’s shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.
There are five Navy destroyers in the Middle East as of Saturday, with a sixth reportedly on the way, but the ships need maintenance that cannot happen because they are needed for the war, the Post reports.
The White House, the Pentagon, and the Israeli Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Officials who spoke to the Post said the request for additional resources was not unusual and that generals often make private appeals for additional resources to be under their command.
The destroyers, equipped with powerful radar and an array of missiles, are a significant part of Israel’s defense against missiles.
The Pentagon conducted assessments earlier in the war that showed U.S. forces have shouldered the brunt of defending Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles, according to the Post. The threat comes not just from Iran, but also from Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are reportedly equipped by Tehran.
Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran simultaneously on Feb. 28 that have now become a deeply unpopular quagmire for the Trump administration.
Polls overwhelmingly show that most Americans are unhappy with the war, do not understand why it is happening, and see it as a key reason why the cost of living continues to rise.
