US Central Command seeks ‘unconventional’ options to pressure Iran
According to sources speaking to CNN, an officer within the intelligence branch of US Central Command (CENTCOM) sent a message to a wide group of military analysts on Wednesday, requesting 'new, creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran.' Military officials described this crowdsourced email request as unusual. However, CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Timothy Hawkins defended the message, stating that the command has a 'long history of thinking and operating in innovative ways.' Two sources familiar with the planning told CNN that the US military has been actively preparing to strike 'Kuh-e Kalang' and other Iranian sites suspected of housing nuclear materials or equipment. However, these sources noted that bombs and missiles alone are likely insufficient to destroy deeply buried facilities, and accessing them might require ground troops—a high-risk move that President Donald Trump has so far shown no inclination to accept. The report notes that 18 US military personnel have been killed in the conflict to date. The CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency have assessed that the current bombing campaign is unlikely to alter Iran's position in negotiations. General Dan Keane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers last month that 'air power has its limits.' One source indicated that President Trump has delayed part of a CENTCOM plan for one to two weeks of heavy bombing aimed at degrading Iran's missile capabilities. According to the report, General Keane's concerns regarding the depletion of US air defence interceptor stocks, as well as the potential for civilian casualties from strikes on infrastructure such as bridges and desalination plants, were factors in this decision. Meanwhile, reciprocal attacks between Iran and the US continue, with CENTCOM targeting positions for the tenth consecutive night while Iran has struck locations across the region.