The Pentagon’s Response
U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins defended the military’s approach when asked by the Journal, saying CENTCOM made protecting personnel the top priority over protecting buildings, and that the strategy worked. He noted that Iran fired more than 8,000 missiles and drones during the war, yet only two of those strikes resulted in American deaths. Hawkins also pushed back on the broader narrative, arguing the U.S. inflicted significantly more damage on Iran than it received, citing more than 13,500 targets struck by American forces.