A foreign affairs expert laid out the horrifying scenario that President Donald Trump finds himself in now that the war with Iran is starting to escalate again.
The Trump administration has bombed Iran for nearly two consecutive weeks following the Iranian regime's decision to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, an action that was prohibited under the memorandum of understanding that the two countries signed in June to reopen the Strait. While the administration has framed the strikes as a "tit-for-tat" operation, Brett McGurk, former Middle East expert on the National Security Council, told CNN's Brianna Keilar on "The Source" that the escalating tensions could end badly.
"I worked on this off and on for 20 years ... I think this is the most difficult predicament I've ever seen because Iran is determined to use its power drones and missiles to control the Strait of Hormuz, and they will target ships," McGurk said. "And when we hit them back, because I think we should do that if they're targeting commercial shipping, they will then target our bases, and they target our living quarters."
Over the weekend, reports indicated that three U.S. service members had died from Iranian drone strikes on U.S. bases in the region. The total number of service members killed in the war with Iran stands at 17, according to reports.
McGurk said the trajectory of the war suggests that the U.S. is in for a "long, hot summer."
"I'msure the Iranians are in their bunkers thinking abouttargeting us," McGurk said. "This is goingto continue. I was at this deskearly in the summer. I said, Ithink we're heading into a verylong, hot summer. And here weare in the middle of it. I just don't see the off-ramp.