US CENTCOM prepares strike options on Iran as Trump hints at possible action

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has prepared a range of options for follow-up attacks on Iran, according to a report citing The Hill. The plans are ready for consideration by the White House and have been shared with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The preparations come as the United States approaches the November 3 midterm elections. President Donald Trump told supporters that a strike could occur as early as the next day, while also mentioning the possibility of a "big, beautiful" agreement with Tehran.

Analysts said the Pentagon instructed CENTCOM earlier this month to complete preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations, potentially targeting Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear sites. No formal order to attack has been issued, and the final decision rests with President Trump.

An intelligence memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran had increased efforts to target US personnel abroad, describing plots as reaching "advanced stages." The State Department has reduced staff at several regional embassies in response.

Julie Norman, an associate fellow at Chatham House, described the draft plans as both a short-term deterrent and a longer-term option that could be pursued after the midterms. "With Trump, I think he is always keeping options on the table," she said.

Iran has responded with calls for continued negotiations and warnings of a broader response to any renewed US attacks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington of derailing talks but urged that negotiations continue. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Hossein Mohebi said Iran’s defence doctrine now includes offensive actions if attacked.

Iran also reported shooting down a US-developed LUCAS drone over Bandar Abbas and indicated plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if hostilities resume.

The United States is deploying an additional aircraft carrier strike group, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, along with roughly 10,000 troops and a Marine Expeditionary Unit to the region by the end of November.

Experts warned that the combination of US and Iranian preparations raises the risk of miscalculation and rapid escalation, especially as political pressures mount ahead of the US midterm elections and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for action.