US general warns he lacks forces to defend Israel against Iran

A senior commander of the US military has warned that his command lacks sufficient destroyers to defend the Israeli regime against missiles fired by Iran and its allies.

The Washington Post said in an exclusive report on Saturday that General Alexus Grynkewich, the head of US European Command, had sent a written warning to the Pentagon that he lacks adequate naval forces to continue protecting Israel from incoming ballistic missiles.

The report cited statements from unidentified US government officials who had seen the private correspondence between Grynkewich and the US Defense Department.

In the letter, Grynkewich warned that without another Navy destroyer, his command will be forced to prioritize the defense of the US “homeland” over the Israeli regime.

The general is in charge of a command that coordinates military operations in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, where US destroyers and naval assets have been employed as part of the Israeli regime’s defense for many years.

Equipped with powerful radar and armed with an array of missiles, US ships have been trying to intercept missiles aimed at Israeli-occupied territories not only by Iran, but also by Yemen.

The US European Command is also responsible for defending against any Russian attack on territory protected by the NATO military alliance, as Russia also possesses long-range missiles that can reach the US mainland.

Grynkewich’s warning comes amid other reports suggesting that the US military has run short of ammunition, especially missile interceptors, to deal with Iranian missiles and drones fired at US regional bases in response to US attacks on the country.

US mulling decrease in military footprint in Kuwait due to Iran operations: Report

US officials say the Pentagon is thinking of reducing its military presence in Kuwait to minimize risk in light of the Iranian retaliatory attacks on American bases in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

A study by the Washington-based Center for International and Strategic Studies said US Patriot resources have continued to decline following the collapse of the US-Iranian ceasefire and the subsequent breakdown of the memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June.

According to the report, an earlier assessment released in April found that 55% of US Patriot stockpiles had been depleted. The latest study said those numbers had fallen by another 10%.

The Foreign Policy Research Institute estimated in a separate report that the United States produces around 600 Patriot interceptors annually, adding that existing stockpiles had already been strained by transfers to Ukraine.

That comes as analysts say Washington is desperate to find a way out of the costly and failed war of aggression on Iran, five months after it began with attacks on senior officials and military commanders of the country.

The shortage of naval assets in the US European Command comes as the US Defense Department has concentrated nearly two dozen warships in waters south of Iran and near Yemen in a futile attempt to break Iranian and Yemeni control over key waterways in those regions.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir