THE INTERVIEW| Iran Decapitation Strike Sparks De Facto War Former Marine Intelligence Officer Says

In a wide ranging interview with Hilary Golston, former Marine intelligence officer Hal Kempfer says the U.S. and Israeli decapitation strike that killed Iran’s top leadership has pushed the United States into a de facto state of war, one he expects to last weeks, not days. Kempfer argues the administration is currently compliant with the War Powers Act but says the conflict has already expanded into a regional fight, with Iranian retaliation targeting multiple U.S. aligned nations. With Iran’s regime in disarray, a transitional council in place and uncertainty over who truly holds power, he says the outcome may depend on whether sustained military pressure weakens the IRGC enough to open the door to internal change, a possibility he calls real but far from guaranteed. Jot something down