US asks to move Dark Eagle hypersonic missiles towards Iran

 Each of America’s Dark Eagle hypersonic missiles costs £30m. They travel five times the speed of sound and can hit targets up to 2,000 miles away.

Now, after a request from US central command (Centcom), they could be heading towards Iran.

If approved, it would mark the first combat deployment of a US hypersonic weapon in history.

The long-range weapon, which is technically still listed as under development and not yet operational, would be able to target Iranian missile launchers that have been moved beyond the reach of current US systems.

Although Dark Eagle’s development has been shrouded in secrecy, the nuclear-capable boost-glide missile is reported to reach altitudes in the upper atmosphere and manoeuvre itself to evade air defences.

It has not yet been declared fully operational, and a decision on its early deployment has not been made, Bloomberg reported, citing a source with direct knowledge.

However, it is yet another signal that Washington is preparing further strikes on the Islamic Republic.

Donald Trump is under increasing pressure either to break the impasse in negotiations or deliver a decisive blow to end the costly two-month conflict.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, is drawing up plans to resume major combat operations against Iran to break its stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz and force it to return to the negotiating table.

Mr Trump will receive a briefing on Thursday from Brad Cooper, the head of Centcom, laying out the options for “short and powerful” strikes on the regime’s infrastructure, sources told Axios.

Russia and China already have their own hypersonic missiles, but none that match the Dark Eagle’s reported speed and range.

Moscow’s Kh-47M2 Kinzhal entered combat in 2019, while Beijing deployed its DF-17 a year later, leaving America in a race to catch up.

Its current most advanced missile, the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), is already deployed against Iran. But it can hit targets only up to 300 miles away, meaning the Dark Eagle would give the US significantly further reach inside Iran.

However, the hypersonic weapon has suffered years of delays owing to the significant technical hurdles of achieving speeds of up to Mach 5, along with supply-chain constraints and testing failures.

It is unclear whether the US military is even ready to deploy it. Centcom’s request could be, more simply, an attempt to threaten Tehran and pressure it back to the negotiating table.

Despite weeks of US and Israeli strikes after the war started on Feb 28, Tehran has preserved a considerable number of its missiles and mobile launchers. Reports suggest the precious assets have been hidden deep in the mountainous terrain, particularly to the north.

A shaky ceasefire in Iran began three weeks ago, but is under strain as a result of Tehran’s refusal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade of Iranian imports and exports.

Officials in Washington are hoping that renewed attacks will force Tehran to be more flexible about dismantling its nuclear programme – a major stumbling block to a peace deal.

Another strategy that US military planners are considering is taking over part of the strait to pry it open for commercial shipping, Axios reported, saying such an operation could involve ground troops.

The Iran war, which remains unpopular in the US and has seen Mr Trump’s approval ratings plunge to record lows, has shaken markets and sent oil and gas prices spiralling.

It has brought maritime traffic through the strait, a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, close to a standstill.

On Thursday morning, the price of Brent crude hit another wartime high, surging past $125.

Before the US and Israel launched the war on Feb 28, crude was trading at around $70 per barrel.

The US is asking other countries to join a new international coalition that would enable ships to navigate ‌the ‌critical oil artery.

The proposed force, dubbed the “maritime freedom construct”, would share ‌information, co-ordinate diplomatically and help enforce sanctions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

An internal state department cable was sent to US embassies this week, calling on diplomats to urge foreign governments to commit to the effort.

Britain and France have been leading plans to advance a multinational mission to reopen the strait, but only once fighting comes to an end.

Mr Trump has been furious with Nato allies for not sending warships to help restore the freedom of shipping, referring to the alliance as “useless” and a “paper tiger”.

The president, along with Pete Hegseth, his defence secretary, has openly mocked the European-led efforts, which are still in their planning stages.

Mr Hegseth appeared before a House committee on Wednesday, under pressure to set out a clear strategy for the conflict.

The so-called secretary of war asked lawmakers to approve $1.5tn in military spending amid strong pushback. The Pentagon estimated the conflict had so far cost at least $25bn.

Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, is due to leave the Middle East over maintenance issues.

The huge warship, at sea for a record 10 months, will begin sailing for home in the coming days, US officials told the Washington Post.

The reduction of US military might and a significant loss of firepower will be an unwanted development just as Mr Trump considers further attacks on Iran.

Two other carriers will be left in the region, the USS George HW Bush and the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Ford is currently in the Red Sea, while Bush and Lincoln are enforcing the US blockade of Iranian ports in the Arabian Sea.