GRANTS, N.M. – U.S. military leaders said this week that American forces are pressing their advantage in the Iran war, including the first flights of B-52 bombers over Iranian territory since the conflict began – a step the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said suggests Iran’s air defenses have been significantly degraded.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking publicly alongside Gen. Dan Caine in their first briefing in nearly two weeks held at 6 a.m. on March 31, said Iran still retains the ability to retaliate, but framed the exchange bluntly: “They will shoot some missiles; we will shoot them down.”
Gen. Caine said U.S. warplanes are now focused on destroying supply chains feeding Iran’s missile, drone, and shipbuilding capabilities, aiming to reduce Iran’s ability to replace weapons destroyed in what was described as thousands of bombing runs. Hegseth also said he made an unannounced trip to the Middle East over the weekend to visit U.S. troops at bases around the region, and said the United States was “closer than ever before to winning.”
For families in Cibola County, the most important numbers remain the human ones. The American death toll stands at 13 service members, and U.S. Central Command has previously reported hundreds wounded.
The conflict is also being felt at the gas pump.
Gasoline in the United States crossed an average of $4 a gallon on Tuesday, a threshold not reached since August 2022, and the AAA motor club data cited in the material provided said the national average has jumped 35% since the war began on Feb. 28.
Across the region, the war continues to throw off fast-moving incidents: Gulf countries reported additional missile and drone attacks; the United Arab Emirates announced remote learning would continue at all schools until mid-April; and fighting between Israel and Hezbollah remains intense, with Israel’s defense minister outlining plans tied to control and clearing operations in southern Lebanon.
At deadline, Tasnim News Agency, the official media outlet of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that Iran would begin targeting US technology companies and infrastructure.
In Memorial
The following United States Soldiers died in the line of duty as a result of recent military action in the Middle East. Reports from US Central Command report at least 200 more wounded.
The Cibola Citizen thanks the fallen and their families for their service.
KC-135 crash in Iraq (6) • Maj. John A. Klinner
• Capt. Ariana G. Savino
• Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt
• Capt. Seth R. Koval
• Capt. Curtis J.
Angst
• Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons Drone attack in Kuwait (6) • Capt. Cody A.
Khork
• Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens
• Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor
• Sgt. Declan J. Coady
• Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien
• Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan Attack in SaudiArabia (1) • Sgt. Benjamin Pennington