US military nearing ‘breakdown’ amid sustained Iranian attacks ⁰

The Islamic Republic of Iran is pushing the US military to the brink of a “breakdown” through sustained attacks on American bases and warships across West Asia, according to US officials familiar with military operations in the region.

Citing two US officials familiar with military operations, The Intercept reported on Tuesday that sustained Iranian retaliatory attacks on US bases and warships had severely strained American military readiness.

One of the officials cautioned that the mounting pressure could eventually lead to a “breakdown” in the military’s ability to effectively sustain the war on Iran.

The officials pointed to depleted stocks of defensive munitions, mounting casualties, maintenance problems, prolonged troop deployments and increasingly difficult logistics as signs of the growing pressure on US forces.

The report said the mounting pressures had further intensified concerns over the Pentagon’s already strained budget, casting doubt on repeated assurances by the Trump administration about the strength and readiness of the US military.

The report added that Iran’s ability to overwhelm US air defenses in the region with drones and advanced ballistic missiles had left the US military in a precarious position.

One official said the Trump administration had failed to properly assess Iran’s military capabilities, while the other pointed to Washington’s “complete lack of planning” for the war.

One of the officials said Iran’s recent attacks on US warships with ballistic missiles represented a “go for broke” strategy aimed at increasing economic pressure on Washington ahead of the US midterm elections.

The officials also pointed to damage inflicted on key US military facilities across the region.