The U.S. and Israel Have Different Goals in the War Against Iran: Statement by the Head of U.S. Intelligence
19 March 19:20
Israel is targeting the leadership, while the U.S. is targeting military infrastructure.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that Washington and Tel Aviv are pursuing different goals in the war against Iran, which highlights differences in the allies’ approaches. This was reported by Reuters, as relayed by [Komersant].
“The objectives set by the president differ from those set by the Israeli government,” Hubbard noted during a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee.
According to her, the actions of the parties already indicate different approaches to conducting the operation.
“The course of operations shows that the Israeli government is focused on neutralizing the Iranian leadership. The president has stated that his goals are to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile launch capabilities, its ballistic missile production capabilities, and its navy,” she added.
War in Iran and Division in the U.S.
Such statements are likely aimed at reducing tensions surrounding the war in Iran, which some U.S. officials consider ill-advised.
Amid the hostilities, internal divisions in the U.S. have intensified. In particular, Joe Kent, head of the Counterterrorism Center, resigned, accusing the Donald Trump administration of starting the war, while senators are preparing a public hearing with intelligence chiefs regarding the causes of the conflict and threat assessments.
At the same time, according to The Wall Street Journal, some of Trump’s advisers are calling for an end to the war amid rising oil prices and the risks of a prolonged conflict.
Furthermore, doubts have begun to emerge in the U.S. regarding the actual level of threat posed by Iran: Tulsi Gabbard omitted a section of her speech stating that, following the 2025 strikes, Tehran did not attempt to restart its nuclear program—the destruction of which Trump cites as the primary objective of the war.
