=President Donald Trump is expected to receive a classified briefing this week outlining possible U.S. responses to Iran’s escalating crackdown on nationwide protests, according to a new report.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump is scheduled to be briefed this week on a range of potential U.S. actions in response to Iran’s deepening unrest, a move that signals the administration is actively weighing how to confront Tehran as the protest death toll continues to rise, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The briefing, expected to take place Tuesday, will focus on possible courses of action rather than a final decision, the report said. Options under review include covert cyberoperations targeting Iranian military and civilian infrastructure, tighter economic sanctions, and the potential authorization of limited military action.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine are expected to attend the meeting, according to the Journal.
The deliberations come as activists report a sharply rising death toll from Iran’s nationwide crackdown. According to figures cited in a recent report, at least 538 people have been killed as security forces move to suppress demonstrations that erupted more than two weeks ago.
Iranian officials have issued warnings of retaliation. On Sunday, Iran’s parliamentary speaker said U.S. military bases across the Middle East would be targeted if Washington initiates military action.
Within the administration, some officials have cautioned that overt U.S. or Israeli involvement could allow Tehran to portray the protests as foreign-instigated, reinforcing regime narratives and potentially undermining domestic opposition.
The Pentagon has not repositioned U.S. forces in anticipation of possible strikes. Any military action would require moving assets into the region to carry out operations and protect American personnel. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford recently redeployed from the Mediterranean to Latin America, leaving no U.S. carrier strike group currently stationed in the Middle East.
Ahead of the briefing, federal agencies have been directed to submit detailed proposals outlining potential military targets, economic measures, and other tools of pressure, the Journal reported. One option under consideration involves sending Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran to help protesters bypass government-imposed internet blackouts.
Trump has escalated his rhetoric since the protests began, warning Iranian authorities against harming demonstrators and saying the United States is “locked and loaded.” On Friday, he said Washington would respond militarily if Iranian forces opened fire on civilians. Over the weekend, he reiterated his support for the uprising, writing that Iran may be closer to freedom “than ever before.”
As regional tensions mount, Rubio also spoke Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the protests and broader issues involving Syria and Gaza, according to officials cited in a separate report. U.S. officials have warned that any American response could risk triggering a wider regional confrontation.
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