--- title: "Ship Shortage: Top US General in Europe Warns Pentagon of Inability to Defend Israel" description: "Top US General in Europe warns Pentagon: not enough forces to defend both Israel and NATO simultaneously. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έβš οΈ Without a new destroyer, priorities must be chosen. 🌍🚒" date: 2026-08-01T20:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ship-shortage-top-us-general-europe-warns-pentagon-israel-defense tags: [pentagon, alexus-grinkevich, israel, iran, us-navy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ship Shortage: Top US General in Europe Warns Pentagon of Inability to Defend Israel ![US Army soldiers with backpacks and belongings in Europe, illustrating logistics challenges and resource shortages for defending Israel](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/01/general-grinkevich-pentagon-lack-of-ships-israel-defense/general-grinkevich-pentagon-lack-of-ships-israel-defense-1.webp) The Pentagon has received an alarming warning from one of its key commanders. General Alexus Grinkevich, heading US European Command, notified military officials in a confidential letter about a critical shortage of naval forces. According to him, current resources are insufficient to continue the full-scale defense of Israel against ballistic missiles. ### Choice Between Israel and US Defense The situation has escalated to the point where Grinkevich has posed a tough question to leadership. Without the allocation of an additional destroyer, the command will have to make a choice: protect the interests of the "homeland" β€” the United States, or continue to cover Israel. This admission became possible thanks to anonymous sources close to the US Department of Defense. The general's letter is not an isolated case. Officials confirmed that similar appeals are coming from other top military leaders. In conditions of limited resources and weaponry, commanders are forced to compete for access to equipment capable of ensuring security. ### Conflict Escalation and Logistics Problems The warning came against the backdrop of a five-month-long conflict in the region. After the failure of peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran, attacks resumed with almost daily frequency. The navy is facing particular difficulties. The US administration imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran closing the Strait of Hormuz. This decision slowed the movement of oil and goods, which has already affected the global economy. US destroyers have been serving in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea for years, intercepting missiles launched by Iran and the Houthis from Yemen. However, European Command is now forced to keep forces ready for a scenario of a possible Russian invasion of NATO territory, given Moscow's possession of missiles capable of reaching the continental United States. ### Force Distribution and Technical Condition of the Fleet According to data, the US Navy has five destroyers based in the Spanish port of Rota. A sixth ship is expected there later this year. However, the pace of the war has led to an accumulation of maintenance issues, which has significantly complicated General Grinkevich's position. At the moment, the deployment of forces looks as follows: - Two destroyers are in the Mediterranean Sea: USS Paul Ignatius and USS Roosevelt. - USS Arleigh Burke, USS Bulkeley, and USS Oscar Austin are based in Rota. - A group of two ships is deployed in the Arabian Sea, closer to Iran. - In the Red Sea, where the Houthis are blocking commercial shipping, the destroyer USS Gonzalez is located. ### Warnings for Citizens and Strike Plans Against the backdrop of military tension, US embassies in the Middle East have issued warnings to US citizens, urging them to take security risks into account. Diplomatic missions noted the likelihood of further escalation of the situation. Earlier, it was reported that the US and Israel are preparing large-scale strikes on targets in Iran. These plans are being developed against the backdrop of failed attempts to agree on a ceasefire, making the situation in the region extremely unstable.