The United States is looking for a way to wind down its war with Iran as military leaders increasingly believe that airpower alone may not deliver President Donald Trump’s objectives, CNN reported, citing three people familiar with the discussions.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine has privately told senior Trump administration officials that the US needs an “off-ramp” from the conflict, warning that further military escalation could backfire while failing to force Tehran into an agreement on Washington’s terms.According to CNN, Caine has raised these concerns with key members of Trump’s national security team, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The discussions have focused on the limits and risks of available military options, including scenarios that would avoid sending US ground troops into Iran.One source described Caine’s approach to CNN as an effort to “protect the military”, amid growing concern within the administration about how far air strikes can realistically take the conflict.Trump has repeatedly opposed deploying American ground forces in Iran and has instead suggested that sustained bombing could pressure Tehran into accepting a deal. But Caine and other senior officials privately believe such an outcome is unlikely, according to people familiar with the discussions.The concerns come as the conflict threatens to create wider regional and economic consequences. Trump said on Thursday that negotiations involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz were making progress and expressed hope that the confrontation could end “pretty soon”.Trump also said that progress could help stabilise the crucial waterway and eventually bring down fuel prices. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global oil shipments, and any prolonged disruption could put further pressure on energy markets.At the same time, Iran’s neighbours are taking steps to strengthen their own security arrangements. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a new defence agreement under which an attack on one country would be treated as an attack on all three.Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei criticised the agreement, arguing that closer military ties with Riyadh’s partners would not provide Saudi Arabia with lasting security. The three countries, however, have described the arrangement as defensive and said it is not directed against any particular country.The agreement reflects the broader uncertainty created by the Iran conflict, bringing together Saudi Arabia’s financial and regional influence, Pakistan’s military capabilities and Turkey’s defence industry.For Washington, however, the immediate challenge is more fundamental: how to achieve Trump’s goals without committing ground forces or allowing the conflict to expand beyond control. As Caine told lawmakers last month, “airpower has its limits” — a warning that appears increasingly central to discussions over how the US can find a way out of the war.
