The Fox News Rundown Talks With Iran While The U.S. Expands Military Presence In Region
Mar 24, 2026
James Robbins, former Pentagon official and longtime defense analyst now dean for academic affairs at the Institute of World Politics, breaks down U.S. and Israeli military moves toward Iran. He discusses planning and targeting processes, air-focused campaign phases, the spectrum of ground commitments, securing the Strait of Hormuz, and coordination between U.S. and Israeli forces.
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Air Campaign Over Ground Invasion
- The current campaign emphasizes precision airpower to degrade Iran’s nuclear, missile, and leadership capabilities instead of a large ground invasion.
- James Robbins highlights thousands of sorties, precision bombing, few civilian casualties, and no aircraft losses as evidence of an effective air campaign.
Day One Decapitation Strike
- Israel, with U.S. cooperation, immediately sought a decapitation strike against Iran’s top leadership on day one rather than escalating gradually.
- Robbins said this was surprising and new compared with past campaigns that worked up to high-value political targets.
Hormuz Contingency Plans Ready
- The U.S. had longstanding contingency plans for a Strait of Hormuz closure and is employing tailored actions like striking missile depots and deploying Marine expeditionary units.
- Robbins notes modern tech changes but emphasizes prior war games and evolving plans to reopen shipping lanes.