WASHINGTON: (HRNW)- In a scathing assessment of the ongoing conflict with Iran, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta told a British journal that President Donald Trump is currently trapped in a crisis of his own making, facing a “no-win” situation that signals weakness to the global community. Panetta’s critique echoes sentiments from Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who asserted that the administration has lost control of the military escalation and is operating in a state of severe panic as the war enters its third week. According to Panetta, the conflict was ignited by a surprise Israeli strike on February 28, 2026, which led to a historic leadership shift in Tehran; following the reported martyrdom of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as a more hardline successor. The former Defense Secretary highlighted that while U.S. officials were long aware of Iran’s capability to block the Strait of Hormuz, the current reality of the blockade has placed the global energy market under extreme duress, as 20% of the world’s oil supply remains obstructed. With 13 U.S. personnel killed and Iranian sources claiming over 1,400 fatalities, Panetta warned that Trump lacks a clear exit strategy and faces a diplomatic void after failing to secure the confidence of key international allies. He concluded that the administration now faces two grueling options: escalating the war at a massive financial and human cost to forcibly reopen the Strait, or retreating and attempting to frame it as a victory, both of which present insurmountable political hurdles.
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