US President Donald Trump has been briefed on a broad set of military and covert capabilities that could be used against Iran, extending far beyond conventional airstrikes, according to two Defense Department officials who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity on Monday.
Several sources familiar with the matter said the President’s national security team will meet at the White House on Tuesday to review updated Iran options. It remains unclear whether the President will attend the meeting.
A separate report in the New York Times, citing a senior US source, said that the Pentagon presented Trump with a wide range of options for a strike in Iran, including the possibility of attacking parts of its nuclear program.
The source qualified the statement by noting that the more likely options at this stage are pinpointed, such as a cyberattack or a strike against Iran's internal security apparatus.
As anti-regime protests continue across Iran, Trump has warned for weeks that he may intervene if Iranian security forces kill demonstrators.
On Sunday, Trump told reporters that the US is watching Iran closely and weighing possible responses as unrest in the country grows, addingthat Iran is starting to cross his red line.
“There seems to be some people killed that aren't supposed to be killed. We are looking at it very seriously, the military is looking at it and we're looking at some very strong options," he added, noting that he is receiving reports on the Iranian protests every hour.
Air power and long‑range missiles remain central to any potential US response. However, Pentagon planners have also presented cyber operations and psychological campaigns aimed at disrupting Iranian command structures, communications, and state‑run media, the officials told CBS News.
According to the officials, cyber and psychological operations could be deployed alongside traditional military force in what planners call integrated operations, or they could be used independently. They did not specify which Iranian digital infrastructure might be targeted or what form a psychological campaign would take.
The officials emphasized that no final decisions have been made and that diplomatic channels remain open.
Last week, the New York Times reported that Trump has in recent days been briefed on new military strike options against Iran, including potential strikes on nonmilitary sites in Tehran.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that the President is “unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary." She added that airstrikes are “one of many, many options that are on the table for the commander in chief."
Leavitt also stressed that “diplomacy is always the first option," noting that “what you're hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite [different] from the messages the administration is receiving privately."