WASHINGTON — A top military commander has formally warned the Pentagon that the armed forces lack sufficient resources to continue protecting Israel without temporarily pausing the defense of the United States.

According to military assessments from May 2026, American forces have shouldered the brunt of intercepting ballistic missiles during the ongoing regional conflict. Records show U.S. naval interceptors and THAAD batteries are currently being fired far more frequently than Israel's own defense systems, creating a severe operational strain on the finite number of American destroyers available to protect North America.

"Our commitment to our ally's security remains absolutely unwavering," said a defense spokesperson, clarifying that while the political promise of unlimited support is infinite, the physical supply of warships is not. "We simply need to acknowledge the logistical reality that defending the American homeland is currently competing for resources with our primary military objectives."

Defense contractors expressed cautious optimism that the urgent shortages would result in immediate budget allocations for new missile defense systems, noting that the most effective way to secure the United States is to rapidly manufacture billions of dollars in weapons and permanently deploy them 6,000 miles away.