US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine has privately urged senior Trump administration officials to seek a way to de-escalate the war with Iran, amid concerns that available military options could produce limited results and trigger wider retaliation, according to a report Friday, Anadolu reports.
Citing three sources familiar with the discussions, CNN reported that Caine raised his concerns with senior officials including, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.
The report said Caine and other officials believe airpower alone is unlikely to force Tehran to accept US demands, despite President Donald Trump’s continued preference for avoiding a ground invasion.
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Caine and other senior officials were reportedly skeptical of a proposed escalation in late July, partly due to concerns about Iranian retaliation against US allies and regional energy infrastructure. Trump ultimately postponed the operation after Gulf partners warned of possible attacks, said the report.
