Pentagon Asks Analysts if They Have Ideas on Iran War

With the war seemingly deadlocked, the Pentagon is reportedly casting a wide net for ideas on how to increase pressure on Iran, and it's doing so in an informal way: by email. CNN reports a senior officer at US Central Command's intelligence arm asked a broad group of analysts last week for "creative and unconventional ways" to pressure—and punish—Iran. Military officials described the solicitation as unusual and an indication that President Trump isn't satisfied with the options available to him. Trump said over the weekend that he'd called off major strikes on Iran because a peace deal was nearing.

The war has included weeks of airstrikes and killed 18 US service members without drawing Tehran back to the bargaining table. Military planners have examined renewed strikes on hardened nuclear sites such as Pickaxe Mountain, but officials say bombs alone are unlikely to destroy deeply buried facilities without using ground troops—an escalation Trump has resisted. Intelligence agencies and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs have publicly acknowledged air power is unlikely to meet Trump's stated goals, while more expansive bombing runs risk civilian casualties and depleted defenses. The full CNN report can be found here.