Pentagon privately recognizes US vulnerability to Shahed drone threats - CNN
Shahed drone (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said during a closed briefing for lawmakers that Iranian Shahed drones pose a serious threat and that air defense systems will not be able to intercept all of them, according to a CNN report.
Threat from Shahed drones
According to sources, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, acknowledged that the drones create a more complex problem than expected.
The drones fly low and slow, making them harder to detect and less vulnerable than ballistic missiles.
At the same time, some officials sought to downplay concerns, noting that partners in the Gulf countries had pre-stocked interceptors in advance.
Goals of the military campaign
During the briefing, members of Congress were reminded of the objectives previously outlined by US President Donald Trump: destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, neutralizing its naval forces, halting its nuclear ambitions, and stopping the arming of militants.
Officials also stated that regime change is considered a secondary objective.
Unanswered questions
Lawmakers have offered differing assessments of the potential duration of the conflict. Senator Tommy Tuberville suggested a timeline of three to five weeks, while Senator Josh Hawley emphasized the lack of clear benchmarks.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated: “There’s no explanation as to what actually prompted the decision to pursue this war of choice, in the absence of any evidence that there was an imminent threat to the United States of America or American interests in the region.”
Senator Mark Kelly warned about the risk of depleting supplies: “We do not have an unlimited supply… this becomes a math problem.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson described the situation as an operation, emphasizing: “It’s a dangerous operation and an important one. We had to act because there was an imminent threat, but there’s not a declaration of war.”
The UK is reportedly considering joining strikes on Iranian ballistic missile launchers, according to Western officials, amid preparations for the next phase of the joint US-Israel military campaign.
Meanwhile, China plans to send a special envoy to the Middle East to facilitate negotiations between the US, Israel, and Iran, aiming to prevent further escalation in the region.
