On July 25 local time, CNN quoted a source familiar with the matter and an American official as saying that when US President Trump weighed the possibility of escalating military actions against Iran at a White House meeting on July 24, both Vice President Viscer and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine expressed concerns.
According to sources, Kaine expressed concerns about the United States' ammunition stockpile and other potential negative impacts on that day. One of the sources said that Kaine told Trump that the U.S. military has the capability to carry out the current plan and achieve success, but also warned of the possible consequences.
Both sources indicated that concerns about ammunition inventories were actually just one of the many issues that Trump faced during this meeting.
From left to right: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kane, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hagel, U.S. Vice President Whitmore, and U.S. President Trump – Photo
Previously, according to the American news website Axios, two people familiar with the matter revealed that Trump had instructed the U.S. military on July 24 to suspend a new round of attacks against Iran, ending the situation where attacks occurred almost every day for 13 consecutive days. The report stated at the time that it was unclear whether this decision was made retrospectively or indicated that the U.S. military would continue to suspend its actions.
According to sources, Trump's decision indicates both his willingness to provide more room for diplomatic mediation and his realization by the US side that the current intensity of air strikes has reached its limits without relaunching large-scale military operations. However, the US military is still working on plans that could lead to the resumption of large-scale military actions. If ordered, the military can resume attacks in a relatively short period of time.
Meanwhile, the American newspaper The New York Times reported on July 25th that senior members of the U.S. government are particularly concerned that further intensification of the conflict will lead to an excessive consumption of the "Patriot" anti-missile interceptors and other air defense ammunition deployed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the Middle East. These air defense weapons are already in short supply, increasing the risks faced by the U.S. military in the event of Iranian retaliation.
Reports cited US officials saying that the urgent need to stockpile interception missiles is just one of many considerations. Restarting large-scale military operations itself poses significant risks. Trump and his key advisors also worry that further escalation of conflicts in the Middle East could lead to retaliation from Iran against US Gulf allies, damaging relations between the United States and these allies. Additionally, this could put additional pressure on the global economy, energy supply, and refugee issues.
