WSJ: Trump faces Iran war dilemma as US forces prepare for prolonged conflict

The United States is extending troop deployments in the Middle East as the war with Iran shows signs of becoming a prolonged conflict, despite Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s earlier pledge that the campaign would deliver a quick and decisive blow, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

The Pentagon is pursuing an open-ended military strategy intended to give President Donald Trump flexibility over his next moves. Nearly 50,000 US troops, 19 warships, air-defence units, fighter squadrons and paratroopers remain deployed across the region.

The deployment is placing growing pressure on servicemembers and their families while creating maintenance backlogs that could take years to resolve, according to people familiar with the situation.

Trump has recently emphasized economic pressure in an effort to force Tehran to negotiate, but Iran has shown no sign of backing down. The two countries continue to exchange fire while asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Privately, Trump has discussed with senior aides whether to declare the war over, US officials said. At the same time, he believes continued economic pressure could eventually force Iran to dismantle its nuclear program or lead to the collapse of the regime.

“I like our position now much better, with almost total control of the Hormuz Strait, and their economy totally collapsing,” he wrote on social media. “They are just playing out the inevitable. When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?”

Aides are advising Trump that an escalation of the Iran war beyond recent tit-for-tat strikes could endanger Republican prospects in the November midterm elections. The president has said he isn’t taking electoral consequences into account when making decisions on the war.

US forces are currently tasked with intercepting Iranian missiles, protecting commercial shipping and blockading Iranian ports and coastal areas. They are also prepared for larger offensive operations if Trump orders an escalation.

Army air-defence units have seen their standard deployment periods extended from nine to 12 months, while some units transferred from Europe and the Pacific have already spent more than a year in the Middle East.

The Navy is also under strain, with 19 warships currently deployed, including two aircraft carriers and 13 guided-missile destroyers. Some destroyers are spending months at sea rather than receiving regular breaks.

“The operational tempo for air defence units before this war was already among the highest of the joint force,” said Tom Karako of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute said the deployments suggested Washington was preparing for a sustained conflict.

“They’re setting it up to be sustained over the long haul, meaning well into next year,” Clark said. “But to sustain it at this level, it means you’re giving up presence in other regions. So you’re kind of going all in on Iran being the focus of military posture over the next year.”

Trump said that US forces would remain ready to strike “any time we want.”

“We see everything that they’re doing,” Trump said. “They can’t go to the bathroom without us seeing it.”

By Vafa Guliyeva