US General warns Pentagon: US no longer has the capability to protect Israel from Iran

The Middle East is boiling over with attacks and counterattacks. Israel and its US allies in the region are struggling to intercept Iran's successive missiles. Meanwhile, a warning has emerged, the United States does not have sufficient military capability on hand to sustain operations to protect Israel from ballistic missiles. The top general in charge of US forces deployed in Europe warned the Pentagon of this during the current week. The Washington Post reported this on Saturday.

According to the report, General Alexus Grynkewich, head of the US European Command (EUCOM), wrote in a message to senior Pentagon military officials that unless another Navy destroyer is deployed, he would have to choose between defending the US mainland and defending Israel.

Currently, five US destroyers stationed at a port in Spain are being used to assist in Israel's defense by deploying to the Eastern Mediterranean when needed. The Washington Post reported that another destroyer is expected to join this fleet later this year.

However, as President Donald Trump's war against Iran has stretched into five months, the ongoing conflict has placed pressure on military capabilities. Alongside the use of missiles, the maintenance needs of the destroyers have also increased.

After the ceasefire between the US and Iran collapsed in early July, the US re-imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. This has further increased the strain on the US Navy's capabilities.

At least 11 destroyers, along with an aircraft carrier, have been deployed near Iran to maintain the naval blockade and ensure safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

The destroyers used to defend Israel in the Mediterranean have been performing this duty for several years. These ships are equipped with various missile and radar systems capable of detecting and shooting down aerial threats, including missiles fired by Iran and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

As of Friday, two destroyers were deployed in the Mediterranean, while the remaining three were docked at a port in Spain, a US official told the Washington Post.

The impact of the intermittent conflicts between the United States and their adversaries has been affecting the US military for months.
In May, The Washington Post reported that a Pentagon assessment found that, in defending Israel, the United States had spent more on interceptors for its advanced missile defense systems than Israel's own forces had used.

Not only has military capacity diminished, but at least 18 US service members have been killed in this war. This has increased domestic discontent over President Trump's war against Iran.

This war is broadly unpopular in the United States. Disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have raised transport costs, and the impact has been felt in the prices of essential goods. As a result, even supporters of Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement are showing growing anti-war sentiment.

Even among members of Congress, fatigue is visible over spending US resources on the war with Iran. Questions are especially being raised about the cost of supporting Israel.

In mid-July, nearly half of the Democratic members of the House of Representatives voted to cancel several billion dollars in aid to Israel. Although the proposal ultimately did not pass, the level of support from so many Democrats indicates that lawmakers' enthusiasm for backing this long-standing US ally has waned compared to before.