Facing Deadlock, US Military Seeks 'Creative' Ways to Pressure Iran

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the American combat unit responsible for the Middle East, has reportedly reached out to a broad group of military analysts for new ideas on how to pressure and punish Iran. According to CNN, an email sent last week by an intelligence officer kicked off a brainstorming session, soliciting unconventional suggestions for dealing with Tehran.

The unusual move, described as a crowdsourcing-style query through official channels, indicates that the administration of President Donald Trump is running low on viable options to force Iran into a deal on its terms. Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN that CENTCOM is examining every possibility and acknowledges the need to reassess its strategy.

Captain Timothy Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, defended the initiative, saying, 'US Central Command has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways.' He added that Admiral Cooper, in particular, reaches out to members of the team regardless of rank to achieve the highest levels of operational performance.

The email was sent before Trump last week threatened new strikes against Iran, only to call them off after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud intervened. The United States has conducted weeks of air strikes on Iran, aiming to degrade Tehran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to bring the Islamic Republic back to negotiations. However, no deal has emerged so far.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to escalate attacks, focusing on Iran's nuclear facilities, which he claimed were 'obliterated' in earlier strikes. Military planners have been actively preparing to hit Pickaxe Mountain and other sites believed to hold nuclear material or equipment. Yet, as sources point out, even the most powerful conventional weapons are unlikely to achieve much because these facilities are buried deep underground.

To destroy them, the US would likely need ground troops — a risk Trump has been unwilling to take, amid questions about transparency over service member casualties. At least 18 US service members have been killed in the fighting so far.

With no clear victory in sight, the president is said to have lowered his expectations. A source told CNN that Trump is considering strikes akin to a 'fireworks' display, hitting the same or similar sites as those targeted a year ago, to secure a symbolic win that would allow him to exit the war. Such a move would abandon one of his initial war aims — eliminating Iran's nuclear programme — and would not resolve the central issue of Iranian claims over the Strait of Hormuz.

'At the end of the day, POTUS will want a deal, so he'll continually look for ways to get tough and get out of this,' one source said. 'You need creative minds at times — especially if you're running out of conventional options.'

CNN has previously reported that both the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency assess that current bombing campaigns are unlikely to shift Iran's negotiating position. Even Trump's most senior military adviser, General Dan Caine, has publicly acknowledged that air power alone cannot accomplish all the president's stated objectives. 'Air power has its limits,' he admitted.