Hegseth: Pentagon Gave Trump Possible Options for Israel-Iran Conflict/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the Pentagon has provided President Trump with military options amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. While declining to say if U.S. forces will assist Israeli strikes, Hegseth emphasized preparedness. Trump has not yet committed to action.
Pentagon Iran Strike Planning + Quick Looks:
- Pentagon presents military options to Trump amid Iran tensions.
- Trump still undecided on U.S. involvement in Israeli operations.
- Bunker buster bomb considered for Iran’s Fordo facility.
- Hegseth emphasizes “maximum force protection” for U.S. troops.
- Iran vows “irreparable damage” if attacked by U.S.
- Hegseth faces scrutiny over Signal app misuse, transgender ban.
- Defense budget and military parade stir political controversy.
Hegseth: Pentagon Gave Trump Possible Options for Israel-Iran Conflict
Deep Look
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the Pentagon has laid out possible military responses for President Donald Trump as tensions with Iran escalate. However, he refrained from confirming whether the U.S. would directly support Israel’s ongoing strikes against Iranian nuclear sites—a move that could drag America deeper into a broader Middle Eastern war.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth said the Pentagon is fully prepared to respond to a range of scenarios and has focused on ensuring “maximum force protection” for American troops across the region. He confirmed that it would be up to President Trump whether to approve the deployment of a “bunker buster” bomb—requiring U.S. B-2 stealth bombers—to destroy Iran’s fortified nuclear site at Fordo.
Israel has already targeted multiple Iranian facilities in recent days, but Fordo, buried deep underground, requires specialized weaponry to penetrate.
Trump, for his part, has remained vague about next steps. “I may do it, I may not do it,” he said at a press event. He also signaled that it’s not “too late” for Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, warned that any U.S. attack would lead to “irreparable damage.” Trump responded with characteristic brevity: “I say good luck.”
Hegseth emphasized that the U.S. military has shifted significant assets—refueling tankers, fighter jets, and other equipment—closer to the region. These resources could support a variety of missions, from combat airstrikes to emergency evacuations of U.S. personnel. He reiterated that the Pentagon’s role is to provide strategic flexibility: “Our job is to stand ready and prepared with options.”
However, Hegseth’s appearance on Capitol Hill wasn’t just about Iran. Lawmakers grilled him on various controversies, including his support for banning transgender personnel and a decision to share sensitive military information via the unencrypted Signal app. That chat, created by national security adviser Mike Waltz, became public after The Atlantic’s editor was accidentally added. The Pentagon inspector general is now investigating Hegseth’s conduct.
Beyond foreign policy, Hegseth has also sparked debate over domestic military reforms. He recently ordered the removal of Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy vessel and has aggressively rolled back diversity and inclusion initiatives within the armed forces, stating such actions are necessary to restore the military’s “warrior ethos.”
Hegseth’s Senate confirmation was razor-thin, requiring a tie-breaking vote, and Wednesday’s hearing marked his first appearance before some skeptical senators since taking office. Criticism of his transparency continued, especially regarding the administration’s $1 trillion defense budget proposal—a sharp increase from current spending levels of around $800 billion.
Hegseth’s time as Defense Secretary has largely been marked by a focus on cultural shifts within the military, even as global security challenges grow more urgent. His relative absence in key diplomatic efforts involving Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran has led some lawmakers to question his strategic priorities.
With military assets on the move and rhetoric heating up on both sides, the coming days may reveal whether President Trump opts for military intervention—or maintains his current posture of calculated unpredictability.
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