Trump weighs military strike on Iran as Pentagon presents options

azernews.az · Feb 21, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Washington is weighing potential military action against Iran, with senior officials confirming that the Pentagon has presented President Donald Trump with a range of strike options amid escalating regional tensions. According to AzerNEWS, citing Axios, a senior Trump adviser said the Pentagon had offered “a variety of options”, including one scenario that would involve targeting Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who is widely viewed as a possible successor, as well as senior clerical figures. The suggestion underscores the gravity of the deliberations now under way inside the White House. International media outlets, citing two sources familiar with internal planning discussions, reported that a US strike on Iran could take place as soon as this weekend. Trump has also publicly acknowledged he is considering what he described as a “limited strike”, a formulation that suggests a more contained military operation rather than a broad campaign. Israel’s public broadcaster has likewise reported that a US attack is seen as increasingly likely, adding to mounting speculation that Washington may be preparing to intervene more directly in a volatile regional confrontation. The White House has not confirmed specific operational plans, but Trump has scheduled a high-level meeting with US Air Force Commander General Kenneth Wilsbach in the coming hours. The president also cancelled a planned weekend trip to Florida, opting instead to remain in Washington for consultations in the Oval Office. Such last-minute schedule changes have often preceded significant national security decisions. While officials caution that planning does not necessarily equate to imminent action, the combination of military briefings, regional alerts and media reports has intensified expectations of a potential escalation. The prospect of US strikes on Iran raises the risk of wider regional fallout. Tehran has previously warned that any direct attack on its leadership or territory would prompt retaliation against American interests and allies in the Middle East. Analysts note that even a limited strike could trigger responses from Iran-backed groups across the region, potentially widening the conflict. The deliberations also carry domestic political implications. A decision to launch military action would mark a defining moment in Trump’s foreign policy, testing his administration’s appetite for confrontation at a time of already heightened geopolitical instability. For now, officials insist that all options remain under consideration. But with reports pointing to accelerated planning and the president remaining in Washington for urgent military consultations, attention is fixed on whether the coming days will bring diplomacy — or escalation.