Senior US military commanders have privately warned Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that the prolonged campaign against Iran is straining forces to the point of endangering America's ability to respond to threats at home. According to the Washington Post, commanders overseeing US forces in Europe, Asia and Latin America, along with the Navy's top admiral, formally "non-concurred" with Hegseth's plan to keep more than 50,000 troops on alert in the Middle East, arguing the deployment has diverted ships, aircraft and equipment away from other regions and disrupted training worldwide.

The Navy has been hit hardest, with the USS Abraham Lincoln at sea for a record 250 consecutive days amid reports of food and hygiene shortages, broken toilets, mould and a mental health crisis among sailors, some of whom have reportedly tried to jump overboard. One source described the six-month conflict as "too much for too long." The dissent emerges as Donald Trump resumes strikes on Iran, including an attack on Larak Island and a widely mocked AI-generated video claiming to show Kharg Island ablaze, while Iran has retaliated with intercepted missiles at US bases in Jordan and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices up 2.7% to $90.51 a barrel.