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Commanders tell House panel Iran’s nuclear program and proxy networks remain central regional threats
Summary
CENTCOM and Defense Department witnesses told the House Armed Services Committee that Iran’s expanding enrichment and support for proxy forces — including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis — pose acute regional threats and that military options remain available to U.S. leadership.
U.S. Central Command and Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee that Iran’s nuclear program and its support for proxy militias continue to shape instability across the Middle East and beyond.
Gen. Eric Kurilla said in his opening statement that Tehran had increased uranium enrichment and that a nuclear-armed Iran would “change the Middle East overnight and forever.” He told lawmakers he had provided the secretary of defense and the president a wide range of military options, and that the department stands ready to support a negotiated settlement that denies Iran a nuclear weapon.
Nut graf: Witnesses framed Iran as the primary malign actor in the region, citing both direct capabilities (long-range weapons and enriched uranium) and indirect capabilities through proxy networks that can destabilize neighbors and threaten U.S. forces and allies.
Kurilla described three pillars of Iranian power in the region: long-range weapons and anti-access/area-denial capabilities; proxy networks such as Hezbollah and militias in Iraq and elsewhere; and the logistics and financing that sustain those proxies. "Iran is in a weaker strategic position now than at any point in the past 40 years," Kurilla said, while cautioning Tehran retains "significant operational capability." He emphasized that Iran’s proxies remain active and that the United States must keep pressure on Tehran’s support for those groups.
Katherine Thompson reiterated the department’s priorities to deny Iran a nuclear weapon and to disrupt threats to the homeland. She told the committee that any diplomatic negotiations should focus on Iran’s support for proxies as a destabilizing factor.
Members asked whether Israel or other partners might act unilaterally and what implications that would have for force protection; Kurilla said such actions would increase risks to U.S. forces and that CENTCOM continually assesses posture and force protection requirements. He also described efforts to coordinate closely with regional partners and to sustain interoperability through defense sales and deployments.
Ending: Committee members signaled bipartisan concern about Iran’s trajectory and asked for classified briefings on options. Witnesses said they would support negotiated solutions that prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while keeping military options on the table.
