'Forced to choose': Top general warns Pentagon he can either defend homeland or Israel
WASHINGTON, DC: The Iran war, which has been on and off for the last four months, appears to be taking a heavy toll on the US, stretching its military resources so thin that it is struggling to protect even its closest ally, Israel.
According to an exclusive report by The Washington Post, published on Saturday, August 1, a top US general informed the Pentagon that the military is now finding it difficult to protect Israel from incoming ballistic missiles amid the ongoing Iran war.
General seeks extra Destroyer to keep Israel protected
The Washington Post report by Dan Lamothe detailed that Gen Alexus Grynkewich, the head of US European Command, sent a written warning to leaders at the Pentagon, saying that “without another Navy destroyer he will be forced to choose defense of the United States ‘homeland’ over that of Israel,” according to officials speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Grynkewich's demand for another Navy destroyer comes as the US has bolstered measures to create a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Navy destroyers, which are typically deployed to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, have been stationed there to protect Israel.
The Navy has five destroyers deployed from a US port in Rota, Spain, with a sixth expected to arrive later this year, according to Pentagon officials.
The commander of U.S. European Command has privately warned the Pentagon that he does not have enough naval forces to continue defending Israel against Iranian ballistic missile attacks and may soon have to prioritize defense of the U.S. homeland unless another Navy destroyer is… https://t.co/EUoh3n2swA pic.twitter.com/4jWQWvWZyO
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 1, 2026
But the fast pace of the Iran war has led to growing maintenance issues, making it harder for Grynkewich to have enough ships available.
The report withheld specific details about the destroyers' availability at the request of military officials, who cited security concerns.
US bolsters Iran blockade after temporary MoU collapses
The US Navy has sent destroyers and aircraft carriers near Iran to bolster the measures keeping Iranian ships blocked, after a fragile ceasefire brokered in early April gave way to a temporary Memorandum of Understanding for a permanent truce — which has since crumbled.
There are reportedly 11 destroyers deployed near Iran and two aircraft carriers.
Another destroyer has been deployed to the Red Sea, where Houthis in Yemen are attempting their own blockade.
The latest round of hostilities between the US and Iran intensified in early July, killing three American servicemen in two separate attacks on US bases in the Middle East.
One of the key global maritime trade passages, the Strait of Hormuz, which holds at least 20% of the global oil supply before the war began, has seen a sharp decline in shipping traffic as the war escalates.
