Iran aiming to rebuild forces, may try to obtain nuke, US defense strategy says; calls Israel ‘model ally’

The Pentagon releases a priority-shifting National Defense Strategy that chastises US allies to take control of their own security and reasserts the Trump administration’s focus on dominance in the Western Hemisphere above a longtime goal of countering China.

The Pentagon document says that while Iran had suffered setbacks in recent months, it was aiming to rebuild its military, with Tehran leaving open the possibility that it could “try again to obtain a nuclear weapon.”

Even with US troops heading to the region, the document says Israel is a “model ally” and could be further empowered to defend itself.

“Israel has long demonstrated that it is both willing and able to defend itself with critical but limited support from the United States. Israel is a model ally, and we have an opportunity now to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests, building on President Trump’s historic efforts to secure peace in the Middle East,” the document specifies.