Former US defense secretary warns Iran war could last six months

Former US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has warned that the conflict with Iran could persist for another six months, potentially transforming into another protracted war in the Middle East with no foreseeable resolution. In an interview with The Guardian, Panetta, who previously served as CIA director under Barack Obama, stated that the United States and Iran find themselves in a precarious stalemate, offering few viable avenues to bring the war to a close.

He emphasized that the conflict is currently on track to become another failed war in the region, akin to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Panetta expressed concern over the US military's state of disarray, citing internal turmoil within the Pentagon as a contributing factor, suggesting that there is a perception of leadership vacuum.

He added, "Whether it is Iran or other adversaries, they now view the United States as having weaknesses in deploying its military capabilities and defending the nation." Panetta highlighted China, Russia, North Korea, terrorism, and Iran as the most pressing threats currently facing the United States, warning that as these actors collaborate and support one another within an emerging axis, they perceive the US as particularly vulnerable at this juncture.

He cautioned that the current leadership faces three options: withdrawing and acknowledging the war's failure—a move he doubts Trump would undertake; continuing the stalemate with intermittent retaliatory strikes, attempting to avoid a larger conflict without negotiation or surrender; or taking control of the Strait of Hormuz, which would effectively neutralize Iran's most potent leverage—the capacity to close this critical chokepoint or disrupt global trade through it.