Senior U.S. Military Official: The Risk of Wider War in the Middle East Has Decreased, but the Islamic Republic Remains a Significant Threat

The highest-ranking U.S. general states that the short-term risk of a wider war in the Middle East has somewhat decreased following the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which occurred without additional provocation. However, Iran, which is assessing its response to Israel, remains a significant threat. Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, made this statement on Monday, September 5, after completing a three-day visit to the Middle East in an exclusive interview with Reuters. He visited Israel on Sunday, just hours after Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, and the Israeli army launched a preemptive strike on Lebanon to neutralize the attack from the Iranian-backed militant group. This was one of the largest clashes in over ten months of border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, ending with limited damage in Israel and without immediate risk of further retaliatory actions from either side. General Brown told Reuters that Hezbollah's attack was just one of two threats of a major attack against Israel that have emerged in recent weeks, with Iranian rulers previously threatening Israel due to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, in Tehran. He visited the Northern Command of the Israeli army on Monday, where he was briefed on threats along Israel's borders with Lebanon and Syria. In Tel Aviv, he met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army. While flying out of Israel, General Brown told Reuters, "You had two things that you knew were going to happen. One happened. Now it depends on how the second one will play out." When asked if the immediate risk of a wider regional war had decreased, he replied, "Somewhat yes." The senior U.S. military official added that "Iran's response will dictate Israel's response, which will determine whether there will be a wider conflict or not." General Brown warned that threats remain from Tehran's militant allies who have attacked U.S. forces in areas like Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, as well as from the Houthis in Yemen, who have attacked ships in the Red Sea and even launched drones towards Israel. He described the Houthis as an "unpredictable actor." The Islamic Republic has committed to responding seriously to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, which occurred during his visit to Tehran last month, blaming Israel for it. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in Haniyeh's death. General Brown stated that the U.S. military is now in a better military position to assist in defending Israel and its forces in the Middle East, even compared to the unprecedented missile and drone attack from the Islamic Republic on Israel in the spring of this year (April 13). At that time, Israel, the U.S., and their other allies in the region managed to intercept almost all missiles and drones fired from inside Iran and by Iran's proxy forces in other regions before they reached their targets in Israel. The Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff referenced U.S. Defense Secretary's decision on Sunday to maintain two aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East and additional squadrons of F-22 fighter jets, stating, "We are trying to be better than what we did in April." He emphasized that any plans the Iranian armed forces may have ultimately depend on political leaders in Iran. He said, "They want to do something that sends a message, but I think... they do not want to do something that creates a wider conflict." General Charles Brown also responded to a Reuters question about Hezbollah's military capabilities, especially after Israel's attacks on this group's positions in Lebanon on Sunday, stating that they "still have capability."