CENTCOM seeks unconventional options against Iran as Trump weighs military and diplomatic paths
The United States Central Command has asked military analysts to develop "creative and unconventional" ways to pressure and punish Iran, according to a CNN report citing sources. The request, described as an email sent by an intelligence officer to a broad group of military analysts, underscores the limited and potentially politically unpalatable options available to the Washington administration in dealing with Tehran, the report said.
The development comes as US President Donald Trump weighs three difficult paths: expanding the air campaign, committing troops to riskier ground operations, or reaching an agreement that falls short of his original war objectives, as reported by CNN. Trump has threatened renewed strikes but called off a planned attack over the weekend, with regional leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urging de-escalation, according to the same report.
Trump said on Sunday that the US and Iran were expected to resume talks concerning the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's nuclear program on Monday. Earlier, he had written on Truth Social that he agreed to abandon plans for a powerful strike to reach a deal, noting that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked Washington to refrain from attacking because the parameters of an agreement had been agreed upon. "This would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait and an end to Iran's nuclear threat," Trump added.
Operational security concerns over cellphone videos
Meanwhile, Admiral Brad Cooper, the top US commander for the Middle East, has warned troops that cellphone videos shared online can help Iran target American bases, according to a Reuters report that obtained a copy of his July 28 letter. Cooper, who heads US Central Command, said Iran was benefiting from seeing the success or failure of its strikes in near real-time by searching news reports or online posts by journalists referencing "reactions, photos, and footage from the cellphones of our troops."
The direct, unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members and civilian residents in targeted Gulf countries, Cooper wrote. He called on troops to "redouble our focus on operational security" without prescribing specific steps in the memo.
Sources told Reuters that some deployed personnel could soon be ordered to surrender their phones. In Jordan, which has been a frequent target of Iranian strikes, some troops have been told their phones will be confiscated in the coming days, two sources said.
The warning underscored the mounting tension between real-time news reporting on the war, often aided by satellite imagery and first-person accounts, and the desire by the US military to restrict any information that could aid Iran as it tries to kill and wound US troops.
Military options and strategic reassessment
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing sources, reported that Cooper has prepared a plan for a large-scale air campaign against Iran that could last up to two weeks. Trump has not yet decided on further military action, the sources said. He may approve Cooper's proposal, in which case US forces would carry out intensive bombing for 10 to 14 days despite dwindling US stockpiles of air defense munitions, in an effort to weaken Iran's missile capabilities. Alternatively, Trump could opt for limited strikes in the hope of preserving a path to a diplomatic settlement.
Cooper believes the US military should increase the intensity of its attacks to turn the situation around, while Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine takes a more cautious view, the newspaper said, citing Caine's concern about the depletion of US interceptor missile stocks.
A CENTCOM spokesperson, Captain Timothy Hawkins, defended the command's approach, saying, "US Central Command has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways. Admiral Cooper, in particular, reaches out to members of our great team, regardless of rank, to achieve the highest levels of operational performance possible."
Perspectives
Trump administration and military leadership
The administration faces a strategic dilemma, as reported by multiple outlets. On one hand, Cooper advocates for intensifying the air campaign to change the situation on the ground. On the other, Caine cautions about the depletion of interceptor missile stocks. Trump has simultaneously threatened renewed strikes and called off planned attacks, while signaling openness to talks. A source told Fox News that CENTCOM was prepared to consider any new proposals, and the US military believes the strategy toward Iran requires reassessment.
Regional and diplomatic actors
Regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have urged de-escalation, according to CNN. Trump has indicated that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries asked Washington to refrain from attacking, suggesting that diplomatic channels remain active. The expected talks on Monday regarding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program represent a potential shift toward negotiation, though the outcome remains uncertain.
Operational security versus information transparency
Cooper's letter reflects a military concern that open-source intelligence from news reports and troop cellphone footage aids Iranian targeting. The potential order to confiscate phones in Jordan highlights the tension between maintaining operational security and the personal need of troops to communicate with loved ones. This issue adds a new dimension to the conflict, as the US military seeks to restrict information that could be exploited by adversaries.