The White House and senior members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have issued a sharp rebuttal to a CNN report claiming the administration was unprepared for Iran’s attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing Operation Epic Fury.
The dispute centers on allegations by CNN that the Pentagon and the National Security Council lacked a strategy for closing the strategic waterway.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the claims, stating that the U.S. military has maintained contingency plans for this specific scenario for several decades.
According to the administration, the current military campaign was specifically designed to neutralize Iran’s naval and missile capabilities to protect global shipping lanes.
Lawmakers Challenge Classified Briefing Claims
The CNN report cited anonymous sources who said that top administration officials acknowledged a lack of planning during a recent classified briefing for lawmakers. However, senators who attended the briefing have publicly contested that account.
READ: Alan Dershowitz Warns Of Constitutional Crisis As Judge Blocks DOJ Subpoenas In Powell Probe
“As Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, let me make clear: whoever leaked this lied,” said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). “CNN should do some fact-checking. The U.S. has planned for Iran to try to close the strait for decades.”
Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT), who also participated in the session, echoed this.
“It is categorically false that they did not plan for Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz,” Sheehy said. “Lawmakers and national security officials have known for years that this was Iran’s plan once their backs were against the wall.”
Strategic Objectives of Operation Epic Fury
The administration maintains that Operation Epic Fury remains focused on four primary goals:
- Destroying Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and production sites.
- Annihilating the Iranian Navy.
- Neutralizing regional terrorist proxies.
- Permanently preventing the regime from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The White House emphasized that the U.S. is prepared to handle short-term energy market disruptions, citing a long-term strategy of domestic energy dominance as a buffer against regional instability.
Despite the friction with media outlets, the White House stated that the military operation is continuing to advance its objectives as planned.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
