The US Defense Department is reportedly considering a new strategy for Iran that would entail bombing the country "periodically" in an effort to keep ship traffic flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, a plan that one analyst said would…
Page A8From§Eachthe sunrise edition — 1 September 2026
Trump mulls strikes in 'little war' with Iran as Pentagon warned permanent war is the plan
The receipts are clear: a Pentagon plan for Iran, flagged by analysts as a blueprint for unending conflict, lands on the same week Trump considers new strikes in what he calls a 'little war.' The sequence is too neat to miss. The warning isn’t just about escalation—it’s about institutional inertia. The Pentagon builds for forever, Trump shops for strikes, and the meter ticks on. The cost isn’t measured in headlines or press releases; it’s paid in deployment orders and budgets that never shrink. The fold is the punchline: permanent war isn’t just a possibility, it’s the plan, and the only question left is who signs the check.
“Permanent war isn’t just a warning, it’s a pitch. Trump shops for new strikes while the Pentagon plans for forever. The meter keeps running, but nobody’s counting the cost.”
“This is a necessary response to ensure stability in the region. A 'little war' is just a term—no one is actually aiming for permanent conflict. Wait, did someone say permanent? That doesn’t sound like us. Anyway, it’s all about deterrence.”
The receipts
Two oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz as President Trump threatened further strikes on Iran, while downplaying the "relatively little" 6-month war.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.