NEW YORK, January 30. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump is considering a range of military scenarios against Iran proposed by the Pentagon, including raids and special forces operations, but remains open to diplomatic solutions and negotiations with Tehran, The New York Times reported, citing US officials.
According to the sources, Trump has recently been presented with an expanded list of options for potential strikes on Iran. These include US troop raids as well as intensified attacks on Iranian nuclear and missile facilities. Among the riskiest scenarios under consideration is the covert deployment of US special forces to destroy or disable Iranian nuclear sites that were not hit during the US strikes in June 2025. Another option involves a series of strikes on facilities directly linked to Iran’s leadership, aimed at creating internal chaos and paving the way for a change of power.
Israel, for its part, is seeking to persuade Washington to target sites connected to Iran’s missile program.
At the same time, officials emphasized that the US leader has not yet selected any of the military options proposed by the Pentagon and continues to prefer a diplomatic approach. Some sources noted that Trump’s threats were partly meant to push Iran toward negotiations.
Earlier, Trump said that a "massive armada" was heading toward Iran. He expressed hope that Tehran would return to the negotiating table and conclude a "fair and equitable" deal, implying a complete renunciation of nuclear weapons. The US leader recalled that the United States carried out strikes on nuclear facilities in the Islamic republic last June in an operation dubbed Midnight Hammer. He warned that "next attack will be far worse," urging not to let "that happen again.".