US weighs new military action against Iran as CENTCOM chief briefs President Trump

Washington: The head of the US military’s Central Command briefed President Donald Trump on military options regarding Iran during a White House meeting on Thursday, as Washington evaluates a potential resumption of major combat operations, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The high-level session, attended by Adm. Brad Cooper, also included US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, and several Cabinet members, the publication noted, citing U.S. officials and sources familiar with the discussions.

The gathering followed a separate White House meeting on Wednesday between military leaders and Vice President JD Vance, according to the report.

The deliberations occur as the Trump administration weighs launching a new military campaign against Iran, following the joint US–Israeli bombing campaign conducted earlier this year.

Washington has reinforced air defence systems, munitions stocks, and logistical supplies across the Middle East in recent weeks, while repositioning select personnel away from facilities deemed vulnerable to potential Iranian retaliatory strikes, the report added.

Spokespersons for both the Pentagon and CENTCOM declined to comment on the proceedings.

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Against the backdrop of military planning, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on Thursday that Washington’s “carrot-and-stick approach” would fail to sway Tehran, emphasising that any advancement toward peace talks hinges on accepting Iran’s seven core conditions.

“Iran’s conditions have been repeatedly and clearly stated to the mediators. The carrot-and-stick approach does not affect Iran,” Ghalibaf wrote on X. “Progress can only be achieved once Iran's seven conditions have been agreed upon.”

His remarks followed reports that diplomatic mediators had warned Iran of prospective renewed US air strikes unless it agreed to nuclear concessions, with Washington reportedly prepared to lift select sanctions and terminate its naval blockade in exchange.

Amid ongoing attempts to restart negotiations, Iranian news outlets Tasnim and Fars reported Thursday that Tehran had received correspondence from US Vice President JD Vance but had not dispatched a response.

Tasnim reported that “Iran has received the letter but has not yet responded”, while Fars cited a source familiar with the matter who provided a matching account.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Vance sent the letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei at President Trump’s direction, aimed at re-establishing dialogue and preventing further American strikes.

According to the report, the letter and subsequent contacts between officials focused on formulating a potential framework for talks rather than negotiating specific peace terms.

The diplomatic manoeuvres unfold within the context of an ongoing war initiated on February 28 by US–Israeli strikes on Iran that killed former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alongside top military commanders.

ALSO READ: Four Oil Tankers Catch Fire After Striking Mines in Strait of Hormuz

Meanwhile, adding to regional volatility, Iran’s armed forces announced that at least three oil tankers caught fire after striking sea mines while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz—just a day after the US military asserted that primary transit lanes through the waterway had been cleared.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the three tankers exploded and caught fire over a 24-hour period while attempting to utilise an unauthorised southern passage through the strait.

According to the IRGC, the ships had “switched off all their radar and navigation systems” and ignored explicit warnings issued by the Iranian navy.

ANI