15 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 5
Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Caine said the missiles were small, shore-fired weapons and that US forces also targeted Iran's fast-attack boats, which he said were armed with rifles and small machine guns.
Caine said the US military had not seen Iran launch any more significant weapons, suggesting the initial exchange remained limited.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said US destroyers dealt directly with the early threat, describing the opening phase as "frothiness" rather than a broader escalation.
Can U.S. naval defenses withstand Iran's advanced missiles, now enhanced by Chinese technology, if the conflict fully escalates?
Is 'Project Freedom' a sustainable solution, or will Iran's new hardline leader inevitably force a much larger, more devastating confrontation?