Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, revealed that additional U.S. troops are set to deploy to the Middle East, with movement expected to begin as early as Monday.
“Admiral Cooper will receive additional forces even today,” Caine said during a press conference at the Pentagon.
“I don’t want to talk specifics, because that would tip the enemy off,” Caine said. “We have more tactical aviation flowing into theater just based on the time it took to get it out there. I think we’re just about where we want to be in terms of total combat capacity and total combat power for Admiral Cooper.” “One of the things, though, that as commander he’ll consistently assess the trajectory of the campaign,” Caine added.
This comes as both General Caine and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth provided the public with an update on Operation Epic Fury, Monday morning.
Within just days of fighting, the United States has carried out more than 1,000 strikes inside Iran, reportedly killing over 45 senior Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Khamenei. Some reports suggest the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is now operating without clear central leadership. While Iran has attempted to mount counterattacks, its missiles and drones have, for the most part, been ineffective.
Meanwhile, regional powers that have also faced Iranian aggression, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have vowed to use their own militaries against Iran, with Qatar signaling a willingness to assist as well. As of Monday, four U.S. soldiers have been killed by Iranian forces, and General Caine has warned that additional casualties are possible.
Even so, by every measurable standard so far, the operation appears to be an overwhelming success.
