Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer said Saturday on Newsmax that major combat operations against Iran could be completed by next week, arguing that U.S. forces had already destroyed or degraded most of the initial targets identified by U.S. Central Command.
Appearing on "Wake Up America Weekend," Shaffer dismissed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's rhetoric and said recent Russian support for Tehran was largely symbolic and unlikely to change the battlefield trajectory.
The Trump administration wants Tehran's unconditional surrender. But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the ultimatum, stating to U.S. officials that it’s a "dream that they should take to their grave."
"Well, so much of this is symbolic," Shaffer said when asked whether Pezeshkian's remarks sounded threatening. He added that Russia could offer public backing but had limited ability to alter events militarily. "There's not much they can do at this point, and I think that's the good news."
Shaffer said the campaign had already hit roughly 85% of the initial target set identified by Central Command, describing those sites as "reduced," which he said was military terminology for destroyed.
He said operations were continuing against the command-and-control structure of Iran's ruling clerics and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"And we're looking at a continuation of with nothing to impede us to continue the effort to destroy the command and control of the Iranian mullahs and the IRGC so they can say things, they can get the Russians to kind of show up and be symbolic, like, you know, neighbors who are patting you on the back, but can do very little else to help you," Shaffer said.
He then offered a specific timeline for the conflict's next phase.
"I think we're going to see the completion of major combat operations by this time next week, because I just believe we're doing that well on the battlefield," Shaffer said.
His comments came after The Washington Post reported Friday that Russia was providing Iran with targeting information on U.S. military assets in the Middle East, including the locations of warships and aircraft. The report said the intelligence sharing marked the first indication that another major U.S. adversary was participating, even indirectly, in the war.
Six U.S. troops were killed in Kuwait, and Iran has fired thousands of attack drones and hundreds of missiles at U.S. military positions, embassies, and civilians since the war began.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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