Fourteen weeks after President Donald Trump ordered an attack on Iran, the US military is adjusting to an unusual conflict situation. This situation is far from peace, though not quite war.
U.S. troops on ships and bases in the Middle East—some of whom are recovering from injuries—continue to exchange fire with Iran every few days. Because the navy has blockaded the ports of Iran. At home, the Pentagon is busy ramping up ammunition production, while families of military members are dealing with the stress of long-term deployments.
Iran's counterattacks against US allies in the region, such as Bahrain and Kuwait, have continued. On Friday, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting Kuwait.
Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in April. But the war has come to a stalemate; Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz to navigation, and Trump has threatened to launch an all-out bombardment of Iran if peace talks fail. Due to this threat, US forces are on high alert.
That means everything from stockpiling missiles and interceptors at bases to gathering intelligence from drones and satellites to updating lists of targets inside Iran. Because large-scale fighting could start again.
“Maintaining this constant state of alert level 10, being ready at any moment, is a very stressful and difficult operational task,” said a US official on condition of anonymity.
Joseph Votel, former commander of the US military's Central Command, described the current phase of the conflict as 'a very, very dangerous time for us'. Keeping the troops ready during the ceasefire is no small challenge, he said.
“This puts tremendous pressure on leaders to ensure that workers are always on the highest alert,” Votel said.
Asked for comment, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the US military stands ready to support deployed troops in 'every conceivable way'.
“The War Department is proud of our extraordinary Soldiers. Their courage, readiness, tenacity and unmatched professionalism make them the greatest fighting force in human history,” Parnell said.
Impact on troops and families
The military's return to a long-term wartime posture for wounded U.S. troops requires a profound adjustment.
U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant First Class Corey Hicks, 37, was among those injured in an Iranian drone strike earlier in the war. His heart stopped beating for several minutes in the attack. Shrapnel tore an artery and fractured his jaw. Hicks is also battling severe brain injuries caused by the explosion, which could put his life at risk.
“It sounded like a small propeller plane speeding up and then it hit the building hard and exploded. I remember a big bright ball of fire, great pressure and heat, and I lost consciousness,” Hicks told Reuters.
Hicks isn't the only one adjusting to this new normal.
Hicks said Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, where he is being treated, is dealing with renewed pressure to treat war casualties after years of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
About 400 US troops were wounded in the conflict, many of whom, like Hicks, suffered severe brain injuries. The US military said more than 90 percent of troops have returned to work. 13 army personnel were killed in this conflict.
Families of US service members are also facing stress amid confusion about what is happening during the ceasefire.
Iran's state media regularly publishes claims of attacks on US ships and aircraft. Iran said on Friday it had fired warning shots at a US warship in the Gulf of Oman, although the US military denied the incident.
“It's really scary not knowing exactly what's going on,” said Yadira Desan, the mother of a sergeant in the Army Reserves in San Fernando Valley, California.
Desan asked not to reveal his son's identity for fear of reprisals from the US military. He has been protesting calls for an end to the war, which has hurt Trump's popularity.
Only one in four respondents to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May said the US military operation in Iran had been successful.
Desaan said his son had seen multiple strikes by Iranian drones on his position, debris falling around him after being intercepted by air defense systems.
“I send a message every day: 'Good morning, Dad. I love you,'” Desan said. Sometimes I get messages like 'Mom, I love you' or 'I miss you' or something like that.
