The Pentagon has prepared tailored military options for potential U.S. action against Iran, according to reports by NBC News, cited by Sky News, amid escalating tensions and ongoing unrest in the country.
While U.S. President Donald Trump has recently softened his public rhetoric, stating that he had been informed that “killings in Iran are stopping”, preparations for a possible military intervention began earlier this week, the report said.
According to NBC News, Trump briefed his national security team on Tuesday about what he would want any potential U.S. military action against Iran to achieve. Pentagon officials subsequently adapted military options to align with those objectives, two U.S. officials and one person familiar with the discussions told the broadcaster.
The military options were expected to be presented to President Trump on Wednesday.
When asked whether the president had issued specific guidance to his aides regarding Iran, a White House official stated that “all options remain available to President Trump to address the situation in Iran.”
A second White House official added that Trump was briefed on Tuesday on the number of protesters killed in Iran during a meeting led by Vice President JD Vance, after which the president requested further details.
Meanwhile, Trump provided additional clarification regarding his earlier comments that killings and planned executions in Iran were being halted. He said the information came from “very significant sources from the other side.”
“We will find out. I will find out afterward,” Trump said when questioned about the credibility of the claims. “But I was told there would be no execution, and I hope that is true.”
Asked whether this meant that U.S. military action was now off the table, Trump responded: “We will monitor it and see how the process unfolds, but we have been given a very positive statement by people who are aware of what is happening.”
