President Donald Trump is reviewing a range of military and non-military options as a response to a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, U.S. officials told CNN, with no final decision yet reached and no ground troops planned.
U.S. officials have briefed President Trump on possible responses to a growing crisis in Iran where widespread protests have been met with lethal force by security services. The review includes military options but also actions aimed at undermining regime capacity without direct combat involvement.
Officials said several military plans focus on targeting elements of Iran’s security services engaged in suppressing protests. Trump has been warned that kinetic strikes carry risks of rallying Iranian public support around the government or provoking retaliation against U.S. forces in the region.
Alongside military scenarios, the White House is considering cyber operations against regime infrastructure and military targets, expanded sanctions on key Iranian sectors, and providing technology to help protesters bypass internet blackouts. None of the proposals under review involve deploying U.S. ground troops, a senior official said.
Iran’s leadership has responded to the U.S. deliberations with warnings. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Tehran would view U.S. military and commercial sites as legitimate targets if Washington carries out multi-domain attacks.
The protests in Iran have persisted for weeks and have drawn international attention as death tolls rise and detentions increase. The unrest is tied to deep economic distress and widespread dissatisfaction with the ruling system, factors that have complicated foreign policy responses.
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