Washington, Feb 26
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been quietly drafting military options for a possible strike on Iran, even as he seeks to avoid direct confrontation with President Donald Trump, according to accounts published in US media.
As chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen Dan Caine has been "drafting military options for potentially striking Iran," with a steady stream of top officials from the Army, Navy, and Air Force summoned to his office, CNN reported.
In internal discussions at the Pentagon, Caine has raised concerns about the "scale, complexity and potential for US casualties" if a major operation were launched against Iran, according to the report.
At the same time, he has overseen the "assembling of the largest collection of US military hardware assembled in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq," CNN said.
The balancing act comes as the United States and Iran prepare to resume nuclear negotiations in Geneva. Tehran is expected to present a new proposal on enrichment, even as Washington amasses forces in the region, The Washington Post reported.
"I don't think a final decision has been made yet," Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said after being briefed on the situation.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that earlier US strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear programme, though international officials have questioned the extent of the damage, according to the Post.
On the military front, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US has sent F-22 fighter jets to Israel for the first time for a potential wartime mission. The move marks a deeper level of US-Israeli military coordination amid tensions with Tehran.
The F-22 deployment will allow the US to defend Israeli territory and American forces in the Middle East from possible Iranian retaliation, the Journal said.
Meanwhile, lawmakers have also moved to address human rights concerns inside Iran. Senators Dave McCormick and Jacky Rosen introduced the Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act of 2026 to expand internet access and strengthen sanctions against rights abusers.
"The Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act of 2026 builds on America's efforts to stand with the Iranian people against a regime that is economically, militarily, and morally bankrupt," said Senator McCormick.
Senator Rosen said, "The people of Iran have been forced to live under a repressive regime that has used censorship and internet blackouts to weaken efforts by its people to fight back".
- IANS
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