SerpApi.Org
Retired United States Navy Admiral James Stavridis warned that the U.S. needed to be aware of what Iran might be doing in the Suez Canal as the conflict between the two reignites.
Speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper, Stavridis warned that the canal had more traffic flowing through it than the Strait of Hormuz and "Iranians are beginning to make noises about attempting to close that, using the Houthis in the southwest corner." According to the admiral, Iran was more "adaptable" in its fight against the U.S. and suggested that they were watching Ukraine's actions "very closely."
"They're watching what's happening very closely in Ukraine, or they are kind of playing the part of the Ukrainians, using innovation, using drones, using maneuver, trying to inflict cost on us, the same way the Ukrainians are trying to inflict cost on Vladimir Putin," the retired admiral said. According to the former officer, he was "a little bit worried" about the attacks on bases and U.S. service members. It comes after Donald Trump was slammed by viewers for his 'disturbing' Iran confession.
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"Those are vulnerabilities that I think the Iranians would not pause on exploiting," the retired admiral said. Last week, both the U.S. and Iran resumed their conflict after operating under a fragile ceasefire since June.
Since resuming the conflict, two U.S. service members have been killed. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that the latest strikes on Saturday were intended to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and "punish" the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched missiles and drones against U.S. forces in Jordan.
The admiral's warnings come after it was announced that the U.S. would be deploying more fighter jets to Iran as tensions continue to simmer. Reports indicate that the U.S. is sending more F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from bases in Europe as well as more aerial refueling tankers, according to CNN.
It comes as U.S. and Tehran have traded renewed strikes in the region, with Iran recently condensing its military actions in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. The three countries are significant as they host U.S. regional bases.
The redeployment order preceded Friday's Iranian attack that killed two U.S. service members in Jordan, while a third went missing. CENTCOM confirmed the deaths occurred in Jordan.
Four American service members were also medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged.
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Attacks from both nations have intensified in recent days following the collapse of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last month. New strikes were launched across Iran late on Sunday night, as confirmed by CENTCOM, as the American military campaign went into its ninth straight night.
Last Tuesday, President Donald Trump was pulled into a Situation Room meeting where he was presented with options on expanding military action in Iran in efforts to weaken Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz. Reports say that Trump is now revisiting taking over Khrag Island, which is a critical Iranian export hub, and to bomb underground complexes at Pickaxe Mountain, believed to be connected to Iran's nuclear program.
