In his statement to the House Armed Services Committee, the commander of U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel, posited that "Iran is generating instability across the region, and the Iranian Threat Network (ITN) continues to increase in strength". He also noted that "after the current conflicts abate, the ITN will undoubtedly turn its attention to other adversaries; future flashpoints could occur wherever there is a U.S. or allied presence".