New Report Exposes Botched Iran War Planning as U.S. Death Toll Rises

Source: The New Republic · Bias: Left

Summary

The Trump administration seems to have been caught off guard by Iran’s ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, once again showing a glaring lack of planning. CNN reports that President Trump’s national security team wasn’t prepared for a worst-case, but somewhat predictable scenario for the war. Analyses from the Treasury and Energy Departments forecasting economic and oil market impacts also weren’t prioritized like they were in previous administrations, unnamed sources told the news outlet.Meanwhile, four U.S. servicemembers were confirmed dead after a refueling plane crashed in western Iraq Thursday, with two others missing, bringing the official death toll of U.S. military personnel to 11 since the war began February 28. Trump depended on a small circle of close advisers in deciding to attack Iran, which effectively marginalized discussion and debate within the government over what could happen if Iran took action to close the strait. Now, the White House could spend weeks trying to mitigate the shock to the U.S. and international economy. Oil tankers are stuck in the Persian Gulf, and using the U.S. Navy to escort them out is considered too risky. Shipping companies have requested naval escorts from the U.S., which has so far turned them down. Diplomats from other countries, business executives, and former government officials are reportedly confused and stunned at the White House’s failure to account for the strait’s closure. “Planning around preventing this exact scenario — impossible as it has long seemed — has been a bedrock principle of US national security policy for decades,” said one former U.S. official, who has served Democratic and Republican administrations. “I’m dumbfounded.” White House officials have even tacitly admitted to members of Congress that they didn’t plan for Iran possibly closing the strait as retaliation for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, sources told CNN. These officials reportedly thought Iran would think closing it would hurt them more than the U.S., especially considering Iran didn’t close the strait during last year’s U.S. strikes. Now, Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement Thursday that the strait will remain closed as a “tool of pressure.” At the same time, Iran is successfully destroying U.S. missile defenses in the region, and American missile stockpiles are dwindling. Trump’s lack of planning is not only causing ongoing damage to international markets and the U.S. economy, but also putting U.S. troops and interests in harm’s way as this war continues on.

Related Coverage

More Headlines From March 13, 2026

arallaxNews.io
New Report Exposes Botched Iran War Planning as U.S. Death Toll Rises
The New Republic

New Report Exposes Botched Iran War Planning as U.S. Death Toll Rises

Left

The Trump administration seems to have been caught off guard by Iran’s ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, once again showing a glaring lack of planning. CNN reports that President Trump’s national security team wasn’t prepared for a worst-case, but somewhat predictable scenario for the war. Analyses from the Treasury and Energy Departments forecasting economic and oil market impacts also weren’t prioritized like they were in previous administrations, unnamed sources told the news outlet.Meanwhile, four U.S. servicemembers were confirmed dead after a refueling plane crashed in western Iraq Thursday, with two others missing, bringing the official death toll of U.S. military personnel to 11 since the war began February 28. Trump depended on a small circle of close advisers in deciding to attack Iran, which effectively marginalized discussion and debate within the government over what could happen if Iran took action to close the strait. Now, the White House could spend weeks trying to mitigate the shock to the U.S. and international economy. Oil tankers are stuck in the Persian Gulf, and using the U.S. Navy to escort them out is considered too risky. Shipping companies have requested naval escorts from the U.S., which has so far turned them down. Diplomats from other countries, business executives, and former government officials are reportedly confused and stunned at the White House’s failure to account for the strait’s closure. “Planning around preventing this exact scenario — impossible as it has long seemed — has been a bedrock principle of US national security policy for decades,” said one former U.S. official, who has served Democratic and Republican administrations. “I’m dumbfounded.” White House officials have even tacitly admitted to members of Congress that they didn’t plan for Iran possibly closing the strait as retaliation for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, sources told CNN. These officials reportedly thought Iran would think closing it would hurt them more than the U.S., especially considering Iran didn’t close the strait during last year’s U.S. strikes. Now, Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement Thursday that the strait will remain closed as a “tool of pressure.” At the same time, Iran is successfully destroying U.S. missile defenses in the region, and American missile stockpiles are dwindling. Trump’s lack of planning is not only causing ongoing damage to international markets and the U.S. economy, but also putting U.S. troops and interests in harm’s way as this war continues on.

Read Full Story at Source