Washington DC: The United States military remains prepared to resume combat operations against Iran if required, despite the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a Pentagon briefing alongside US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Caine underscored that the ceasefire should be viewed as a temporary halt rather than a resolution to the conflict.
“Let us be clear. A ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations with the same speed and precision as we’ve demonstrated over the last 38 days. And we hope that that is not the case,” he said.
Caine also paid tribute to the 13 US service members who have been killed in action during the ongoing conflict, describing their sacrifice as deeply significant.
The remarks come hours after US President Donald Trump announced a “double-sided ceasefire” with Iran, suspending the American “bombing and attack” campaign for a period of two weeks.
