The US armed forces are calling on soldiers to be "creative and unconventional" ideas to increase pressure on Iran, writes CNN, citing a leaked email, writes Focus.
The request, made by email from a senior officer in the command leading President Donald Trump's operations against Iran, reads briefly: “We need ideas.“
“We are looking for new, creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran“, wrote an officer from the intelligence department of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in a message sent on Wednesday to a wide range of military analysts, according to a source familiar with its contents. A second source also confirmed that last week a senior American officer sought new suggestions for dealing with Tehran.
This “crowdsourcing“-style request, which military officials say is unusual for an email, is a clear sign of the limited – and potentially risky - options that Trump has to force Iran to accept his terms. In search of an alternative, the CENTCOM official initiated the electronic discussion to see if anyone could suggest a better strategy. The second source said the command is considering all options and recognizes the need to reassess its current course.
“U.S. Central Command has a long history of innovative thinking,“ said Capt. Timothy Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, in a statement. “Admiral Cooper frequently reaches out to members of our team, regardless of rank, to ensure we are as operationally effective as possible.“
The email was sent before Trump threatened new strikes on Iran – an intention he abandoned over the weekend after regional leaders (including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) intervened to call for de-escalation.
For weeks, the US has been carrying out strikes on Iranian targets to limit Tehran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and bring it back to the negotiating table, but so far there has been no prospect of a deal.
Trump is also considering escalating the military campaign - possibly by resuming massive strikes on Iran's remaining nuclear facilities, which he previously claimed had been “totally destroyed”. Two sources familiar with military planning confirmed that the military is preparing for possible attacks on the underground “Pickaxe Mountain“ complex and other sites believed to contain nuclear material or equipment.