The unusual warning from a senior U.S. military official: "We will not be able to continue protecting Israel" | Report
The commander of the U.S. European Command, General Alexus Grynkewich, warned the Pentagon that without an additional destroyer, he would be forced to prioritize the defense of U.S. territory over the defense of Israel. The report comes amid heavy strain on the U.S. Navy due to the war with Iran and a shortage of available vessels.
The commander of the U.S. European Command, General Alexus Grynkewich, has warned Pentagon officials that he does not have enough naval forces to continue protecting Israel from ballistic missiles, according to a report today, Saturday, in The Washington Post.
According to officials who spoke with the newspaper, Grynkewich sent a written warning to Pentagon leadership this week. In it, he clarified that without an additional destroyer, he would be forced to choose between defending Israel and defending U.S. territory, and would prioritize the defense of the American homeland.
The warning comes against the backdrop of the heavy burden placed on the U.S. Navy following five months of war with Iran. U.S. destroyers stationed in the eastern Mediterranean have participated in the defense of Israel for years, and during the war, they intercepted missiles launched at it from Iran and Yemen. At the same time, many vessels have been diverted to blockade Iranian ports and secure traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the report, the high operational tempo has led to a backlog of maintenance needs and reduced the availability of the five destroyers stationed at the port of Rota in Spain. A sixth destroyer is expected to arrive at the port later this year.
The Washington Post reported in May that Pentagon assessments indicated that U.S. forces bore the brunt of the defense of Israel against Iranian ballistic missiles. According to those same assessments, THAAD systems and interceptors launched from destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean were used much more frequently than Israeli defense systems.
As of Friday, two U.S. destroyers were operating in the Mediterranean and three others were in Rota. In the Arabian Sea, two aircraft carriers and at least 15 other warships were deployed, including 11 destroyers, which are participating, among other things, in the blockade of Iranian ports and the protection of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Another destroyer was deployed in the Red Sea in the face of the Houthi threat.
A U.S. security official explained that Grynkewich's warning is consistent with standard procedure, under which senior commanders warn the Pentagon about risks and resource shortages. The Pentagon and the U.S. European Command did not comment on the report.
