U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has prepared options for follow-up strikes on Iran, The Hill reported, as President Donald Trump leaves open a decision with implications for the region and energy costs.
Two unnamed sources told The Hill that the options had been presented to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon told the outlet that developing military options is part of its role and declined to discuss hypothetical operations. CENTCOM did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
Other outlets have reported separate preparations. Axios reported Oct. 7 that the Pentagon directed CENTCOM to prepare for a possible return to major combat operations. The Atlantic reported Oct. 22 that officials were weighing a campaign lasting several days, potentially after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Neither account said Trump had settled on a course.
Trump’s public remarks have offered different signals on timing. The Associated Press reported that on Oct. 8 he said the United States would not attack Iran before the midterms. On Oct. 24, Trump told reporters, “We’re thinking about doing it, and maybe tomorrow,” while also describing a deal as possible, Anadolu Agency reported.
Axios reported that possible targets could include energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear sites; The Atlantic also cited missile and drone arsenals. Neither outlet described a publicly released Pentagon or CENTCOM target list. Gregory Brew of Eurasia Group told The Hill that renewed force could be intended to pressure Iran into concessions, an analyst’s view rather than stated U.S. policy. Harrison Mann, a former Defense Intelligence Agency executive officer, doubted strikes would change Iran’s course. Julie Norman, an associate fellow at Chatham House, told Al Jazeera that planning could serve as deterrence as well as remain a post-election possibility.
The conflict has raised U.S. energy costs, the Associated Press reported. Before the war, one-fifth of the world’s oil flowed through the Strait of Hormuz, the outlet reported. CENTCOM’s fact sheet says Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28 at Trump’s direction; it offers no confirmation of another authorization.
The Nov. 3 midterm elections are the next scheduled political marker, and the reports provide no date for a decision on renewed strikes.
