U.S. Military and Veteran Voices

Seventy‑four retired U.S. generals and admirals have signed an open letter through the Jewish Institute for National Security of America endorsing the ongoing joint U.S.–Israeli campaign against Iran, arguing the strikes are a necessary response to decades of Iranian attacks and threats against U.S. troops, allies and shipping. The letter, published Tuesday, backs Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion as efforts to degrade Iran’s missile, naval and proxy capabilities and says Tehran has long sought to "spill American blood" through forces in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere. Signatories include former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Philip Breedlove, former PACOM chief Adm. Timothy Keating and other ex‑combatant commanders, giving the statement establishment military heft even though they no longer serve in government. They cite Iran’s past killing of "hundreds" of Americans, its post–"12‑Day War" missile buildup, attempts to rebuild nuclear infrastructure supposedly damaged in last year’s U.S.–Israeli "Operation Midnight Hammer," and its violent repression of domestic protesters as reasons to weaken the regime’s military power. The move is already circulating in hawkish think‑tank circles and on social media as evidence of elite backing for a harder line on Iran, while critics warn that retired brass speaking in near‑lockstep through a Washington policy shop risks looking like orchestrated war messaging rather than dispassionate analysis.