Defense Department – Page 3 – War Watch

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How Trump Took the U.S. to War With Iran
ByJonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman April 7, 2026April 7, 2026

In a series of Situation Room meetings, President Trump weighed his instincts against the deep concerns of his vice president and a pessimistic intelligence assessment. Here’s the inside story of how he made the fateful decision.

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Trump Pledged a Quick End to the Iran War, but He Hasn’t Explained How
ByGreg Jaffe April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

President Trump bet that American firepower could cow Iran into compliance. So far, Iran’s leaders have been unwilling to quit.

Read More Trump Pledged a Quick End to the Iran War, but He Hasn’t Explained How
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Iran Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Setting Off American Search and Rescue
ByEric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and Thomas Fuller April 3, 2026April 3, 2026

One crew member was rescued. The risky operation to find the second airman came as the United States and Israel struck infrastructure targets in Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation in the Gulf.

Read More Iran Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Setting Off American Search and Rescue
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Iran’s Defenses Have Been Struck, but They Can Still Fire Missiles and Drones
ByNicholas Kulish April 3, 2026April 5, 2026

Iran has sent waves of missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf states in recent weeks and shot down an American fighter jet on Friday.

Read More Iran’s Defenses Have Been Struck, but They Can Still Fire Missiles and Drones
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Trump Says He’ll End the Iran War in Weeks. What If He Can’t?
ByDavid E. Sanger April 2, 2026April 2, 2026

President Trump faces the possibility that at the end of his own two-to-three week window for wrapping up the war in Iran, nothing much will have changed.

Read More Trump Says He’ll End the Iran War in Weeks. What If He Can’t?
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What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Wednesday.
ByEve Sampson April 1, 2026

Formidable strikes rocked Tehran early Wednesday morning. Iran launched what its state-aligned media called one of the largest attacks on Israel yet, damaging several cities.

Read More What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Wednesday.
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Pentagon Is Doubling Fleet of A-10 Attack Planes in Middle East
ByEric Schmitt April 1, 2026

The slow-moving A-10 “Warthog” is a so-called close-air support plane that could be used to help U.S. ground forces seize territory near the Strait of Hormuz.

Read More Pentagon Is Doubling Fleet of A-10 Attack Planes in Middle East
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Placing U.S. Troops in Middle East Hotels May Violate Laws of War
ByThomas Gibbons-Neff April 1, 2026April 1, 2026

U.S. commanders have kept many troops away from bases in the region to protect them from Iran’s ballistic missile attacks.

Read More Placing U.S. Troops in Middle East Hotels May Violate Laws of War
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Forgoing Oversight of Iran War, G.O.P. Calls Hegseth to Testify on Budget
ByMegan Mineiro March 31, 2026April 1, 2026

After resisting calls for public hearings for weeks, House Republicans have called the secretary of defense to testify at a budget hearing in late April for the first time since the attacks on Iran began.

Read More Forgoing Oversight of Iran War, G.O.P. Calls Hegseth to Testify on Budget
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Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Tuesday
ByAnushka Patil March 31, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took questions from reporters for the first time in nearly two weeks.

Read More Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Tuesday