Middle East Crisis Iran War

Pete Hegseth Turns to Silicon Valley to Replenish Weapons Stockpiles

The United States is in urgent need of replenishing its weapons stockpiles as the war against Iran continues. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pinning his hopes on Silicon Valley weapons startups, the Washington Post reports.

In late June, he met with about a dozen American weapons manufacturers with a clear message: The Pentagon needs their help to replenish its stockpiles, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.

The companies included Shield AI, Anduril and Coaspire.

The Trump administration has recently deepened its cooperation with Silicon Valley weapons companies. But it remains to be seen whether they can deliver on a large scale, says industry expert Jerry McGinn.

“It’s one thing to develop something, another to mass produce it.”

According to the sources, the companies pointed to the Pentagon’s slow procurement processes and the difficulties for startups to obtain sufficient financing as the main obstacles to increasing production.

Analysis: Iran can benefit from a continued war

At the end of last week, a pause began in the fighting between the US and Iran. But at the beginning of the week, they resumed after Iran attacked American troops in the Middle East.

Instead of waiting for a new American attack, Iran chose to break the pause itself. This may indicate that the country wants to use military means to influence the development of the war, writes CNN's Abbas Al Lawati in an analysis.

A possible explanation is that Iran, despite the risks, assesses that a limited war better serves the country's interests. This writes the BBC's Amir Azimi.

"Iran may have concluded that it creates space for a strategy that is not based on military victory, but on long-term pressure."

A prolonged ceasefire, on the other hand, could put Iran in a worse position, writes Azimi. The US blockade and sanctions would likely remain, while Iran would remain excluded from the international energy market.

A limited war, however, could change that picture. With the Strait of Hormuz as a lever of pressure and the Houthi movement in Yemen, even minor disruptions mean that the outside world must listen to Iran's demands, he continues.