The US military command overseeing operations in the Middle East has asked analysts for “new ideas” on how to pressure Iran and push it towards negotiations on terms favoured by President Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the request. The prompt came in an email sent by a senior officer in the intelligence branch of US Central Command (CENTCOM) to a broad group of military analysts on Wednesday, one source said. A second source said a senior US military officer issued a similar request last week to gather additional options for dealing with Iran. The outreach, which officials said was unusual to run through email, was seen as a sign that the range of available moves for Trump appears limited. CENTCOM officials also acknowledged in the message that the strategy may need reassessment. In a statement, CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Timothy Hawkins said the command has a record of working in innovative ways, adding that Admiral Cooper reaches out across the team, regardless of rank, to improve operational performance. CENTCOM Email Message Raises Pressure For New OptionsTrump’s review of strategy has taken place alongside repeated military actions over recent weeks. The US has carried out air strikes intended to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table, but no deal has emerged. The email request arrived shortly before Trump threatened further strikes on Iran, only to call them off over the weekend after intervention by regional officials, including Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, who urged de-escalation. Strike Plans Face Military And Political LimitsAccording to two sources familiar with planning, the US military has prepared for attacks on “Pickaxe Mountain” and other Iranian sites believed to hold nuclear material or equipment. Trump has also been weighing intensified strikes, including renewed efforts against remaining Iranian nuclear facilities, which he previously claimed were destroyed in last summer’s campaign. However, the sources said that even with US conventional firepower, missiles and bombs alone are unlikely to be decisive because the facilities are buried deep underground. Achieving greater effect would probably require ground forces, a course described as a major risk that Trump has been reluctant to take. The sources also pointed to concerns about transparency around service member casualties, with 18 US personnel reported killed so far. One line of consideration described to the sources was a strike approach intended to deliver a symbolic display of force, in a “fireworks” style, aimed at hitting the same or similar sites previously targeted. That approach could help Trump argue progress without delivering the initial objective of ending Iran’s nuclear programme. Another central issue remains Iran’s stance on control and claims related to the Strait of Hormuz, which has become the core of the wider dispute. Intelligence Views Bombing As InsufficientRecent assessments by the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency have concluded that the type of bombing the US is conducting is unlikely to change Iran’s negotiating position, according to reporting by CNN. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Trump’s most senior military adviser, has also acknowledged publicly that air strikes alone cannot meet all of the administration’s stated war aims. Speaking to lawmakers last month, he said air power has limits. Options for escalation have been discussed for months, with additional military assets deployed to the region in anticipation of a decision. Officials said one CENTCOM plan would involve heavy bombardment over one or two weeks to target Iran’s missile capabilities. Trump has so far held back, including after hearing concerns from Caine about shrinking stocks of air-defence interceptors. Other officials have raised risks of high civilian casualties if strikes expanded to infrastructure targets such as bridges or water desalination plants. Possible paths for escalation discussed in planning include sending US troops, including threats Trump has raised about occupying the strategic island of Kharg or seeking to remove Iran’s highly enriched uranium. Such steps would, however, conflict with a pledge Trump made to his supporters in 2024, saying he would not send Americans to fight and die in “stupid foreign wars that never ends”. In a Cabinet meeting on Friday, Trump said he wanted to “win”, adding that at some point Iran would decide it could not endure the pressure. Join the discussion? 4 August 2026
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