Top US general says ceasefire is a ‘pause’, forces ready to resume combat

WASHINGTON, Apr 8: The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Wednesday that the ceasefire with Iran should be viewed only as a temporary pause, adding that US forces remain ready to resume operations if necessary.

“A ceasefire is a pause,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine said at a Pentagon briefing.

“The joint force remains ready … to resume combat operations with the same speed and precision,” he added, while expressing hope that Iran would choose a lasting peace.

Gen. Caine said that more than 13,000 targets had been struck in operations against Iran, which he said destroyed 80% of Iran’s air defense systems and damage to 90% of its weapons factories.

He further claimed that more than 90% of Iran’s regular naval fleet had been sunk, including all major surface combatants, with 150 ships now “at the bottom of the ocean.”

In a lighter remark during the briefing, Caine added that the operation involved the consumption of “more than 6 million meals,” along with an estimated “950,000 gallons of coffee, 2 million energy drinks, and a lot of nicotine.”