Trump weighs military and nonmilitary responses as Iran protests grow

As nationwide protests shake Iran and security forces respond with lethal force, U.S. President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of American intervention, Time reports. The White House has kept its options deliberately broad, saying diplomacy remains the preferred path while officials acknowledge the president has been briefed on military and nonmilitary alternatives, from cyber operations to targeted strikes.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that "the military is looking" at "some very strong options" and warned that if Iran retaliates "we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before," while also saying Iran's leaders "want to negotiate." Despite the rhetoric, the Pentagon has not surged aircraft carriers or strike groups into the region and Gulf allies have shown little appetite for hosting U.S.

attacks. Analysts cited in the report say a likely trigger for U.S. military engagement would be irrefutable evidence of massive killings of protesters, but they note the lack of verifiable information makes such a determination difficult. CSIS's Mona Yacoubian argued a full push for regime change is unlikely, warning that an effort to "decapitate the regime leads to some level of chaos" and could rally nationalist sentiment; other options under discussion include cyber intrusions, covert action and efforts to restore internet access, while sanctions are seen as offering diminishing returns.

Key Topics

Politics, Donald Trump, Iran, White House, Pentagon, Starlink