New Delhi, April 30 -- The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, told senators on Thursday (April 30) that Vladimir Putin's Russia has been assisting Iran during the ongoing conflict with the United States, raising fresh concerns about Moscow's involvement in the widening regional war.

Speaking during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Caine acknowledged Russian support for Tehran but declined to publicly disclose operational details.

"There's definitely some action there," the general told the lawmakers.

Caine cited the public nature of the hearing as the reason for withholding further specifics.

The committee's Republican chairman, Roger Wicker, backed Caine's assessment and issued an even stro...