Former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned that the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran could persist for another six months, potentially turning into a "forever war" in the Middle East. Panetta, who also served as CIA director under President Barack Obama, described the situation as a stalemate, with few clear paths to resolution. He compared the conflict to past U.S. military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he called "failed conflicts." Panetta noted that President Donald Trump is caught between two difficult choices: either escalating the conflict to remove Iran’s influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil trade, or walking away and declaring victory, which could be seen as a concession. According to Panetta, Trump has three main options: admitting defeat and walking away, prolonging the stalemate with occasional military actions, or taking control of the Strait of Hormuz to reduce Iran’s leverage. He argued that the only way the U.S. could win is by clearly committing to reopening the Strait. Panetta criticized Trump for undermining his credibility by falsely claiming that a deal to end the conflict is near and that the Strait of Hormuz is already open, despite ongoing tensions. The Pentagon has denied reports of internal disarray, with spokesperson Sean Parnell stating that the department is operating effectively under current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The White House was also contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of writing. Panetta expressed concern that the U.S. might be sending a message of weakness to adversaries such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. He noted that recent polls suggest a majority of Americans believe the conflict with Iran was a mistake and oppose it. Panetta also raised concerns about the prolonged deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. aircraft carrier that remained at sea for over 260 days without a port visit. This extended deployment reportedly led to worsening living conditions and mental health issues for the crew. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance did not classify the current conflict with Iran as a "war" and said he couldn’t predict whether the conflict would end by November’s midterm elections, stating that the outcome would depend on Iran’s actions.