The ongoing military conflict with Iran could last far longer than the timeline initially suggested by Donald Trump, according to a new report by Politico.
When the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian territory last Saturday, the campaign was presented as a short, limited military operation. Trump later described it as an effort expected to last roughly four to five weeks.
However, less than a week into the conflict, indications from within the US national security establishment suggest the campaign may extend significantly longer.
Citing an internal Pentagon notification, Politico reported that United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has requested additional military intelligence officers to support operations related to Iran for at least 100 days and possibly through September.
“US Central Command is asking the Pentagon to send more military intelligence officers to its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, to support operations against Iran for at least 100 days but likely through September,” the report said, calling it the first known request for additional intelligence personnel directly tied to the war effort.
The request suggests the Pentagon may already be preparing for a campaign that lasts considerably longer than the four-week timeframe initially projected by Trump.
The Politico report also indicated that the rapid mobilisation of personnel and resources highlights possible shortcomings in early planning. Officials cited in the report said several parts of the US government were not fully prepared for the broader consequences of the military action launched alongside Israel.
While the Trump administration initially emphasised that the operation would remain limited in scope and duration, that outlook appears to have shifted quickly.
Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, acknowledged this week that the timeline remains uncertain.
“You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,” Hegseth said. “Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo. The enemy is off balance, and we're going to keep them off balance.”
Former US diplomat Gerald Feierstein told Politico the operation appeared to have been launched with limited preparation.
“What we've seen is a completely ad hoc operation where it appeared that nobody actually understood or believed that military action was imminent,” he said. “It seems like they woke up on Saturday morning and decided that they were going to start a war.”
Also Read: Iran War: Amid Fears Of Escalation, Lufthansa Cancels Tehran Flights Till April-End
Another factor that could prolong the conflict is the scale of Tehran's retaliation. Iran has responded to the US-Israel strikes with waves of drone and missile attacks across the region, targeting American and allied facilities.
One such attack reportedly killed six US troops at a port facility in Kuwait, highlighting the vulnerability of American installations to Iran's expanding drone capabilities.
Iran's deployment of relatively low-cost Shahed drones has emerged as a strategic challenge for US forces. The drones can fly at low altitudes and evade some radar systems, while intercepting them often requires missiles costing millions of dollars.
With Iran believed to possess thousands of such drones, analysts warn that even limited exchanges could trigger a prolonged cycle of retaliation and escalation across the region.
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