Mental Storm at the Pentagon: Generals Seek 'Unconventional' Ways to Counter Iran

According to a report by CNN, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) asked military analysts and officers to submit "innovative and unconventional" ideas to punish Iran and increase pressure on it, a step reflecting Washington's effort to reassess its strategy after weeks of military operations that failed to achieve their stated political goals.

As per the report, a senior officer in CENTCOM’s intelligence branch sent an email to a large number of military analysts urging them to propose "new, innovative, and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran," while another source confirmed the request was issued last week at the direction of a high-ranking U.S. military official, as part of a review of available options for dealing with Tehran.

U.S. military officials say this kind of email-driven brainstorming is unusual and reflects the limited options available to President Donald Trump’s administration to compel Iran to accept a deal on American terms, especially given that military strikes have so far failed to deliver desired results.

The spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command, Captain Timothy Hawkins, said the command has relied for years on innovative thinking, noting that CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper encourages all team members, regardless of rank, to propose new ideas to enhance operational performance.

This internal review came before Trump reversed course and called off planned new strikes against Iran over the weekend, following regional diplomatic interventions.

Over recent weeks, the United States launched a wide-ranging air campaign targeting sites inside Iran aimed at limiting its ability to threaten navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and pushing it back to negotiations—yet these operations have yielded no political breakthrough or signs of reaching an agreement.

According to two sources familiar with military planning, the Trump administration is considering escalating the campaign by targeting remaining Iranian nuclear facilities, including the site known as "Jebel Bick Aks," believed to house materials or equipment linked to Iran’s nuclear program.

However, the sources noted that destroying these deeply buried installations exceeds the capabilities of conventional airstrikes and may require ground operations—a prospect the U.S. president remains hesitant to adopt due to military and political risks, particularly after 18 American soldiers were killed since the conflict began.

Another source indicated that Trump is also considering launching large-scale symbolic strikes resembling a "fireworks display," targeting previously bombed sites, in an attempt to declare a military achievement that could allow a political end to the war—even though such operations would not achieve the core goal of ending Iran’s nuclear program.

U.S. officials say the fundamental issue extends beyond the nuclear program to the crisis over the Strait of Hormuz, which has become the focal point of the current conflict, as Iran remains steadfast in its position regarding the strategic maritime passage.

One source familiar with planning discussions said the U.S. president is constantly seeking ways to intensify pressure on Iran while finding a political exit from the crisis, adding that current conditions demand creative ideas after most conventional options have been exhausted.

Similarly, CNN reported that recent assessments by both the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency concluded that the current bombing campaign would not be sufficient to alter Iran’s negotiating stance—an assessment echoed by Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Coughlin, who recently told Congress that "air power has limits."

Over the past months, CENTCOM has presented several plans to expand military operations, including a sustained intensive bombing campaign lasting one or two weeks to target Iranian missile capabilities, alongside deploying additional military assets to the region in preparation for any escalation decision.

Yet Trump has not yet approved the green light, after receiving warnings from top military leaders about declining stocks of anti-aircraft interceptors, along with concerns over rising civilian casualties if strikes hit Iranian infrastructure such as bridges and desalination plants.

Among other still-pending options is sending U.S. ground forces to conduct operations inside Iran, including securing control of Kharg Island or safeguarding stockpiles of highly enriched uranium—though this scenario contradicts Trump’s previous pledges not to commit U.S. troops to "endless foreign wars."

Conversely, Washington may ultimately find itself forced to accept the ongoing confrontation based on reciprocal strikes between the two sides, accompanied by continued American casualties and growing risks to navigation security in the Strait of Hormuz.

During a cabinet meeting, responding to a question about ending the war, Trump said: "We just want to win, and we’ll keep delivering strong strikes, and at some point they’ll say they can’t take it anymore."