This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has denied claims that US President Donald Trump’s policy on Iran is driven by Israel.
"As someone who … is in the presence of the President nearly every day and has been inside every single key meeting that has happened surrounding the idea of Operation Epic Fury, not a single thing has been foisted upon the President of the United States,” he said in a press conference in Washington.
"President Trump makes his own decisions about the interests of this country and defending our interests and then working with allies and partners, in this case Israel who's got a lot of will and a lot of capabilities which we're grateful for."
While the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz continues with 10,000 troops enforcing it, the risk of a resurgence of war remains.
"We are reloading with more power than ever before, and better intelligence," Hegseth said at the Pentagon. "We are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation, and on your energy industry. We'd rather not have to do it."
Echoing the sentiments, Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added: "I'd like to emphasise during this pause that the United States joint force remains postured and ready to resume major combat operations at literally a moment's notice."
This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
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