Trump orders more bombing as Iran war reaches 145 days

BOMBS AWAY: As the war in Iran approaches the five-month mark, President Donald Trump says the U.S. has more bombing in store for Iran, before he’s ready to consider a ceasefire or a resumption in negotiations.“I will tell you they want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest, Trump told reporters yesterday during an Oval Office meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. At several points seemed to be laying the groundwork for declaring victory without reaching a nuclear agreement with Tehran. “Nobody knows, except the Iranians, the damage that we’ve done to them. We have done damage that will take them 20, 25 years to recover from,” Trump said, “So if we left tomorrow, we had a big success, but we’re not leaving tomorrow.”

Trump bristled when a reporter suggested “there are no signs that Iran is ready to stop fighting,” and asked, “So what is the plan? Is the plan to just keep bombing until they give up?”“You don’t know what the dialogue is behind the scenes, that they want to meet desperately to try and end it because they’re getting decimated,” Trump replied. “You don’t get that when you listen to your fake station. … You don’t know anything.”Last night the U.S. Central Command reported on its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes, which it said targeted “Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure,” with the goal of minimizing Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.PICKAXE MOUNTAIN: In the wake of a Wall Street Journal report citing Israeli intelligence suggesting Iran has secretly stashed thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges inside the deeply-buried, partially completed underground nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, Trump indicated it may soon be a target of U.S. airstrikes.WHAT IS PICKAXE MOUNTAIN, AND WHY HAS IT BECOME CENTRAL TO THE IRAN CONFLICT?“We’ll be hitting that area, probably pretty soon, and there’s not a thing they can do about it,” Trump said, even as he indicated U.S. intelligence has no confirmation of the Israeli report. “We don’t have it on record, where all we do is read the fake news,” Trump said. “The news is so wrong so many times. So, you know, maybe, maybe this one, they have right.’The mountain is solid granite, and the underground facility is believed to be 400 feet below the surface, where even bunker-busting bombs may not be able to penetrate. “Guys, we need straight answers,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Senate budget hearing. “Do we have the ability to destroy whatever is underneath Pickaxe Mountain?”“Senator, a lot of our capabilities are classified,” Hegseth replied. “But if anybody in the world can reach anything on this God’s green earth, it’s the United States military, the most powerful military in the world.”If Iran is secreting centrifuges, it is a sign it has no intention of giving up its nuclear ambitions, but Trump insisted the equipment is useless without uranium to enrich. “It doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material,” Trump said. “They don’t have [it]. We follow the material. That’s where the action is.”TRUMP PROMISES PICKAXE MOUNTAIN STRIKE COULD HAPPEN ‘VERY SOON’IT’S JORDAN’S FAULT: Without naming the country, Trump appeared to blame failure of missile defenses operated by Jordan for the deaths of three American soldiers, who died when Iranian missiles hit the prefabricated housing units where they lived and slept at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.Trump’s statement came as the Pentagon identified the third death from the July 17 attack as 28-year-old Sgt. Angel Rampersad, who was previously listed as missing. Rampersand and his fellow soldiers who died in the attack, 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, were all air defense personnel, under the Army’s Air Missile Defense Command.But Trump seemed to indicate the missiles “slipped” by Jordanian defenses. “They did slip something through in Jordan, and if we had other operators, you know, [it] would not [have] happened … because we have the best equipment in the world. You know, we’ve stopped almost everything,” Trump said. “But when you let other people do your job … we let other people do the job, and sometimes it doesn’t work out so well.The Pentagon now lists the total number of deaths during Operation Epic Fury as 18.TRUMP: OTHER ‘OPERATORS’ AT FAULT FOR IRANIAN MISSILES KILLING AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN JORDANGood Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Keely Bastow. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSEHAPPENING TODAY: Trump is scheduled to attend today’s dignified transfer ceremony of four U.S. troops killed in the war with Iraq. Trump will arrive at Dover Air Force Base shortly before 11 a.m. to pay his respects as the remains of the troops killed in action are returned to their families. Hegseth is also expected to attend.“I’ll be going to Dover for something that I feel is — it’s a great honor for me to do it,” Trump told reporters yesterday. HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS OF HEGSETH’S CAPITOL HILL PERFORMANCE: Hegseth’s appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he was making the case for billion more in defense spending, went about as one might expect. Hesgeth defended the progress in the Iran war, and at times attacked the Democratic senators who took turns trying to pin him down on his past statements that Iran had been rendered “combat ineffective,” and whether the Strait of Hormuz was in fact controlled by Iran not the U.S.Here’s a sample of some of the exchanges.Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA): You said on day 14, Iran’s military had been, quote, destroyed and, quote, made combat ineffective. Yes or no, was that an accurate statement?Hegseth: What the American military has done to the Iranian military is a historic military defeat.”Ossoff: Has Iran’s military been, for the last four months, combat ineffective?Hegseth: It’s been set back not just years, but likely decades … It doesn’t mean it doesn’t have capabilities.Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI): Are you completely aware that the Strait of Hormuz could be closed? And, obviously, sinking their ships has not affected their ability to effectively close the Strait. Hegseth: We had U.S. boats that surrendered to Iranian ships under the Biden administration, so their Navy was affected.Reed: We’re talking about the war you started, not a situation in which oil was flowing freely. There was no conflict. We weren’t losing personnel as a result of Iranian actions. So, your fallback to the Biden administration is just a very, very obvious excuse for what I think is, probably, as you described, so often gross negligence. You did not fully inform the president that you would be in a situation where the Strait of Hormuz could be effectively closed, oil prices could surge, and effectively, the Iranians could maintain their ability to strike back as they are right nowSen. Dick Durban (D-IL): I’d like to ask you to help me reconcile some numbers. It’s my understanding that this whole supplemental funding request is $87.6 billion and most of the funding, $67 billion, is for the Department of Defense. Yet we are told the Department of Defense still has $75 billion in unobligated funding from last year’s reconciliation package. Is that true?Hegseth: Roughly correct numbers, yes.Durbin: So, you left some change on the dresser before you prepared to come for this hearing. What’s going to happen to that $75 billion?Hegseth: Well, that $75 billion, there’s plans and designs on that, part of the rebuild of our military, which had to be undertaken. And so, one beautiful bill gave us specific avenues. I’d have to get you the exact numbers of what that is left to be allocated.Durbin: Does it have to do with the war in Iran?Hegseth: No, this is — this is rebuilding our military from what was not funded in the past under the Biden administrationUPDATED ESTIMATED COST OF IRAN WAR IS $37.5 BILLION: HEGSETHSen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY): You’re requesting billions of dollars in supplemental funding for a war that you said would last for weeks and that the president has no plan or ability to end. At the same time, this still unauthorized and extremely unpopular war has caused gas, diesel, fertilizer, and other essentials that New Yorkers and our farmers need across the country and has become much more expensive. So, how do I go back to New York and what would you say to [those] who are seeing their health care bills rise because massive cuts to Medicaid, they’ve seen their grocery and gas bills rise, and this unpopular and unauthorized war abroad is a higher priority to this administration than their ability to feed their families and provide health care to their loved ones who are sick?Hegseth: Well, Senator, you’re talking about political tradeoffs, and our job is to deliver for the United States military and the President of the United States. And we look at the cost of a nuclear Iran, and we want to prevent that for future generations. And that requires funding and supplementals and this budget and next generation capabilities. And that’s why we’re here today to request some of that to ensure we can ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.Gillibrand: You are asking for unlimited money for bombs when people can’t feed their families. And I don’t know how this administration intends to defend those decisions to the American people.Hegseth: Not unlimited bombs. Senator, I’m asking for the right bombs at the right time to ensure we can deter our adversaries into the future. And that’s why this is a generational investment. And if the previous administration didn’t fund this department, they didn’t fund it.TAX DOLLARS ‘LIT ON FIRE’ FOR ‘DISASTROUS’ IRAN WAR: DEMOCRATS TO EXCORIATE HEGSETH AND CAINESen. Gary Peters (D-MI): Secretary Hegseth, despite your failure to win this war, you are back now before Congress asking for almost $70 billion in additional funding. You’re asking the American people for a blank check, because once again the Trump administration’s efforts have been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point. So my question for you, sir, is, how is your strategy different than what we’ve seen in the past? So far we have not seen a strategy that’s been successful. You mentioned nuclear material as the primary goal of the war. It still exists. Hegseth: I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless and I think it’s irresponsible. And I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops that are out there making on behalf of the American people to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure, and then you want to turn around and say you support the warfighter. Either you do or you don’t.Peters: You don’t have a strategy. You don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war. Win the war! The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they need to have leadership!Hegseth: Of course we have leadership.Peters: When will you show leadership?Hegseth: Why don’t you show some leadership and stand up for your fellow Democrats who won’t fund the troops who stand and play partisan politics while you don’t give us the money? You want to stand up here and talk about the troops? You won’t show any political courage to actually fund our department because you have Trump derangement syndrome and can’t actually commit to anything meaningful. So I put this on you, Senator.Peters: Secretary Hegseth, you have trillions — you have over a trillion dollars, you’re asking for $1.5 trillion. It’s not a question of money, it’s a question of leadership and understanding what it takes to actually win to bring…Hegseth: Political cowardice of Democrats who won’t fund the troops.HEGSETH OFFERS GARY PETERS ‘TICKET OUT TO CENTCOM’ AFTER SENATOR RIPS IRAN WAR ‘FAILURE’THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Updated estimated cost of Iran war is $37.5 billion: HegsethWashington Examiner: Tax dollars ‘lit on fire’ for ‘disastrous’ Iran war: Democrats to excoriate Hegseth and CaineWashington Examiner: Hegseth offers Gary Peters ‘ticket out to CENTCOM’ after senator rips Iran war ‘failure’Washington Examiner: Johnson tells Trump to ‘wrap it up’ in Iran as president rejects midterm influence on warWashington Examiner: Trump promises Pickaxe Mountain strike could happen ‘very soon’Washington Examiner: Trump: Other ‘operators’ at fault for Iranian missiles killing American soldiers in JordanWashington Examiner: Pentagon names North Carolina sergeant as third soldier killed in Iran’s weekend strikesWashington Examiner: Pentagon IDs ‘believed’ third victim of Iranian strike on Jordanian air baseWashington Examiner: Trump says Iran is killing protesters and young kids ‘like they’re candy’Washington Examiner: Zelensky sacks Ukrainian Commander in Chief Syrsky in major military shake-upWashington Examiner: Opinion: ​​Ukrainian war remakes warWashington Examiner: Trump says Syrian invasion of Southern Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah could be ‘very effective’Washington Examiner: US plan to disarm Hezbollah put to test as Israel and Lebanon begin ‘pilot zone’ programWashington Examiner: State Department links Cuba’s push for ‘guerilla warfare’ to American leftist movementWashington Examiner: Former soldier charged with arson in Manhattan ICE facility firebombingWashington Examiner: ICE and CBP averaging 1,593 arrests per day, highest since Trump took officeWashington Examiner: Judge rules against Trump in Minnesota sanctuary city lawsuitWashington Examiner: Former Hungarian Prime Minister visited White House and State DepartmentWashington Examiner: Opinion: ‘No deal’: JD Vance’s Iran fantasy could cost America everythingWashington Examiner: Opinion: Iran has drawn American blood again. Trump cannot respond with words aloneWashington Examiner: Opinion: Andy Burnham’s top Cabinet pick is good news for the special relationshipWashington Post: Ships bound for Saudi Arabia turn around in sign of new Red Sea blockadeAP: A tech innovator and an old guard general are the focus of Ukraine’s political crisisWall Street Journal: Israel Believes Iran Moved Nuclear Centrifuges Into Pickaxe MountainWashington Post: The Pentagon, sinking billions into Iran war, quickly runs short on cashWall Street Journal: Ukraine’s Battle-Tested Drone Boats to Be Made in U.S. for the First TimeAP: Senate panel advances Jay Clayton’s nomination to lead US intelligence agenciesTask & Purpose: Two Air National Guard Commanders Fired for ‘Loss of Confidence’Military Times: Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey Suffers Engine Fire During Air Force Training ExerciseDefenseScoop: Latest Guard-Led Cyber Shield Exercise Is Focused on Protecting the Power Sector, Including OTAir & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force Could Cap Launch Support Without Extra Funding, Saltzman SaysAxios: Canada Joins GCAP Military Aircraft PactDefense One: At Europe’s Largest Airshow, US Lawmakers Sound Alarm over Pentagon-Budget GridlockAir & Space Forces Magazine: General Atomics Plans New Drone Design for Low-Cost Reaper ReplacementBreaking Defense: Air Force Halts F-16 Ejection Seat CompetitionThe War Zone: Fury Loyal Wingman Arrives at Creech AFB for Agile Combat Deployment TrialsNewsNation: United Flight Forced to Land at Arizona Air Force BaseTHE CALENDAR: WEDNESDAY | JULY 22 10 a.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: “U.N. Accountability and Reform: Advancing an America First Foreign Policy Through Strategic Diplomacy and Burden Sharing,” with testimony from U.S. Representative to the U.N. Mike Waltz; and Jeff Bartos, U.S. representative to the U.N. for U.N. Management and Reform http://foreignaffairs.house.gov10 a.m — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “How Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign is causing cracks in the Kremlin,” with former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov; former Russia Deputy Minister of Energy Vladimir Milov, vice president of international advocacy at the Free Russia Foundation; Natalia Arno, president of the Free Russia Foundation; and Anton Barbashin, co-founder and editorial director of Riddle Russia https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/how-ukraines-deep-strike-campaign-is-causing-cracks10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Is the U.S. Winning the Fusion Race?” with Bob Mumgaard, co-founder and CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems https://www.csis.org/events/united-states-winning-fusion-race10 a.m. 215 Dirksen — Senate Finance Committee hearing: “The President’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda,” with testimony from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer http://finance.senate.gov11 a.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “The Red Sea Threat to Global Shipping,” with retired Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, MEI military fellow; Marwan Mahmoud El Sammak, chairman of Ship & CREW; and Mirettte Mabrouk, MEI senior fellow https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register11 a.m. Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies virtual discussion: “Exploring the Landscape of Military Law and Best Practices for JAGs,” with Stephanie Fisher, senior appellate counsel for the U.S. Navy; Mark Majors, deputy general counsel for the National Guard Bureau; Michael Newton, director of Vanderbilt Law School International Legal Studies Program; and Jesse Burbank, special counsel for the Defense Department https://fedsoc.org/events/exploring-the-landscape-of-military-law-and-best-practices-for-jags12:30 p.m. 1333 H St. NW — Center for American Progress discussion: “Stopping Trump’s Crypto Corruption: The Risks of the Clarity Act to Democracy and National Security,” with Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-CT) https://www.americanprogress.org/events/stopping-trumps-crypto-corruption/2 p.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee hearing: “Charting a New Course: Countering China’s Dominance in Global Shipbuilding” http://foreignaffairs.house.govTHURSDAY I JULY 23 9 a.m. Peterson Institute for International Economics virtual discussion: “Are Trump administration policies catalyzing European unity?” with Enrico Letta, dean, IE University School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs; and Nicolas Veron, PIIE senior fellow https://www.piie.com/events/2026/are-trump-administration-policies3:30 p.m. 1800 K St. NW — Henry L. Stimson Center discussion: “The Path Ahead for U.S.-South Korea Shipbuilding,” with retired Adm. James Foggo, dean, Center for Maritime Strategy https://www.stimson.org/event/the-path-ahead-for-u-s-south-korea-shipbuilding/FRIDAY | JULY 24 7:45 a.m. 300 First St. SE — National Institute for Deterrence Studies seminar: “The Israel Iran Wars: Missile Offense vs. Missile Defense,” with Uzi Rubin, former director, Israel Missile Defense Organization https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/dr-uzi-rubin-live-at-the-capitol-hill-club10 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Taiwan’s National Mobilization Against the China Threat, with Chi-Chang Tsai, Yuan legislative member; Pao-Yang Shen, Yuan legislative member; Ting-Yu Wang, Yuan legislative member; and Miles Yu, director, Hudson China Center https://www.hudson.org/events/taiwans-national-mobilization-against-china-threat 7 p.m. — White House Correspondents Association annual dinner, with President Donald Trump, rescheduled from April 25 [email protected]