Retired Gen. Frank McKenzie told CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Monday that the U.S. is actively executing a long-developed military plan to counter Iran and reopen critical shipping lanes, emphasizing that operations are already underway and progressing faster than expected.
"We're on our way to doing that now, we're on plan," he said, adding that current efforts focus on "reducing Iranian ability to target ships by maintaining air superiority and striking them relentlessly."
McKenzie stressed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is achievable under multiple scenarios.
"There are two ways it can be opened if the Iranians negotiate [or] we can open the strait under that condition, too," he said, underscoring that "we have the ability to open the Strait of Hormuz under any condition that the Iranians choose."
He downplayed the broader strategic impact of Iran-backed Houthi attacks.
"I don't think it'll be a game changer," he said, though he acknowledged they could "slow traffic" through the Red Sea.
McKenzie added that the U.S. has the resources to counter that threat if necessary.
On potential escalation, McKenzie pointed to longstanding contingency plans, including seizing key positions.
"These are not back-of-the-envelope calculations, these are things we've been working on for many years," McKenzie said, noting that taking strategic islands could be "profoundly humiliating for Iran" and "shut down the Iranian oil economy completely," while preserving infrastructure for future use.
Despite current tensions, McKenzie argued Iran is likely to negotiate under sustained pressure.
"The primary goal of Iranian statecraft is survival of the regime," he said, referencing past decisions to accept unfavorable truces. "I believe that they will break. We need to continue to press them very hard because that is the only thing they will respond to."
He defined a realistic outcome as limited but meaningful.
"A success looks like the Strait of Hormuz is open, some kind of deal on the ballistic missile program, [and] the nuclear program," he said.
McKenzie's take contrasted with CBS analyst Kareem Sajapore's more pessimistic view that Iran's leadership is ideologically incapable of compromise in the near term, making a durable settlement unlikely.
The conflict remains centered on control of vital maritime chokepoints, especially the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea routes, which are critical to global energy markets.
Iran has escalated through proxy forces like the Houthis while facing internal pressure after reported losses among senior leadership.
The U.S. is holding direct and indirect talks with Iranian leaders, including parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, to negotiate terms for ending the war, with President Donald Trump saying progress will become clearer within a week.
Trump also claimed that Iran has agreed to many of the 15 demands conveyed through Pakistani mediators and described the ongoing discussions as productive.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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