Pentagon chiefs to testify on $67.1B Middle East supplemental as Iran strikes, Houthi blockade threats mount

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Pentagon Testimony on Iran Conflict

Wall Street is watching as more details about the Iran war and U.S. military needs are set to be made public today. Starting at 10 AM ET, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine are set to testify on Capitol Hill before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Under discussion will be the Trump administration's recent supplemental funding request, which includes $67.1 billion to cover operational expenses and the replenishment of munitions used in current fighting in the Middle East.

Conflict Snapshot

• Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dwindled as Iran seeks ultimate control over the waterway and continues to target tankers that do not abide by its "approved routes."
• Iran has continued to fire ballistic missiles and drones across the region as the U.S. ramps up the intensity of its nightly airstrikes.
• Two American service members were killed on Friday in Jordan, while another death likely took place, bringing the total number of U.S. military casualties to over a dozen in the ongoing conflict.
• The U.S. has issued a worldwide caution alert for Americans living abroad.

Presidential Response

"Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" — President Trump, via Truth Social

CENTCOM announced fresh strikes on "military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems." More refueling aircraft are also set to arrive in the region soon, as the U.S. expands its capabilities with additional SEAD aircraft and fighter jets.

Trump has previously threatened to broaden Iranian targets to energy plants and bridges, bomb the nuclear-linked site known as Pickaxe Mountain, and even send forces to seize the oil hub of Kharg Island.

Deeper Analysis

U.S. lawmakers are expected to press Hegseth and Caine on the long-term strategy for dealing with Iran. That includes how the Pentagon plans to use its request for supplemental spending, as well as the wider risks associated with continued escalation.

On Monday, Iran activated its proxy in Yemen, with the Houthis threatening the key chokepoint of Bab al-Mandab by imposing a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and its East-West Crude Oil Pipeline.

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