Defense Secretary Hegseth fires top Pentagon strategist amid Iran tension
According to CNBC, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon’s senior strategist, on Oct 29, 2026, as U. S. officials warned that renewed military action against Iran could follow the November midterm elections. Al Jazeera reported that President Donald Trump had hinted at further large-scale attacks on Iran, while U. S. Central Command said it had prepared strike options pending presidential approval. Earlier in the week, Iran’s armed forces warned they would fire on U. S.
warships in the Persian Gulf and said they could target U. S. bases, civilian infrastructure and even consider nuclear retaliation if the United States and Israel resumed air campaigns, according to Al Jazeera and The Jerusalem Post. President Trump told Fox News he was weighing a new deal with Iran or a renewed strike (CNBC) and later said the United States remained in a strong position to act after the midterms (Fox News). U. S. Central Command confirmed it had drafted plans that could be executed within 96 hours of a presidential order (The Jerusalem Post), and officials warned Gulf states to prepare for a brief, intense conflict (The Express Tribune). Vice President JD Vance, at President Trump’s direction, sent a letter to senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei seeking a negotiation framework (Hindustan Times). Regional delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey met Iranian security leaders in Tehran to discuss de-escalation (NBC News).