Iran's 'death by 1,000 cuts' strategy backfires as US refuses 'nuclear roulette,' ex-special ops soldier says

Former U.S. special operations soldier Brett Velicovich said Iran's strategy of incrementally eroding its enemies' forces has become ineffective on "The Faulkner Focus." Media Iran's 'death by 1,000 cuts' strategy backfires as US refuses 'nuclear roulette,' ex-special ops soldier says Iran's attacks have touched 12 countries, 'from UAE to Azerbaijan,' Brett Velicovich says By Max Bacall Fox News Published March 5, 2026 4:53pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video US military debuts long-range Precision Strike Missiles in Operation Epic Fury Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin and former U.S. special operations soldier Brett Velicovich break down the operation targeting the Iranian regime's military infrastructure. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A former U.S. special operations soldier told Fox News that Iran's strategy of incrementally eroding its enemies' forces has become ineffective as the United States signals it will not engage in what he calls "nuclear roulette." Iran’s campaign of attacks across the Middle East and beyond has hit at least 12 countries amid concern that the regime could be intentionally prolonging the war."Iran's strategy has always been this death by a thousand cuts. Launch a few drones here, arm a proxy militia there, threaten shipping lanes somewhere else," Brett Velicovich said Thursday on "The Faulkner Focus." Kids walk around an Iranian missile after it fell near Qamishli International Airport, near the Turkish border in the Qamishli district of Hasakah, Syria, on March 4, 2026, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. (Amjad Kurdo / AFP via Getty Images) "But that strategy only works if the United States hesitates," he added, arguing that the United States has responded reservedly in the past. "But we are done abandoning our red lines, and it's clear our leadership is no longer going to play nuclear roulette with this regime... We're watching the entire chessboard," he said. "We're prepared to respond wherever American interests are threatened."FORMER TOPGUN PILOT DECLARES IRAN MILITARY 'OVER WITH' AMID US AIR SUPERIORITY, BUT WARNS OF ANOTHER DANGER A U.S. Navy ship launches Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in support of Operation Epic Fury. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs) Velicovich's comments come as U.S. forces launch precision strikes on Iranian missile infrastructure.Rather than sending neighbors into a tailspin, Velicovich said Tehran's attempt at regional escalation has instead unified adversaries and triggered a more forceful response. Iran has fired on Israel, Turkey, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Cyprus and Bahrain, among others. Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin said Thursday on "The Faulkner Focus" that the seemingly erratic strikes support Iran's strategy of widening the war and forcing its adversaries to burn through limited supplies of high-tech missile interceptors, and to raise oil prices by threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Video"This is not a country defending itself anymore," Velicovich said. "It's a regime exporting chaos in every direction. It's a regime full of psychopaths that should not exist in modern society."CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The United States and Israel on Saturday launched strikes targeting Iran's leadership, including its Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed. Iran's missile arsenal and nuclear facilities were also hit in the campaign, dubbed Operation Epic Fury.Iran has carried out retaliatory strikes since then, with the latest wave coming one day after the United States sank an Iranian warship, killing at least 87 Iranian sailors.Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. Max Bacall is an Associate Editor for the Flash/Media/Culture team at Fox News Digital. Related Topics MediaFox News FlashWar With IranThe Faulkner FocusIran Fox News First Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Arrives Weekdays By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. Subscribe Subscribed Subscribe You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!