CENTCOM has solicited ideas from its analysts for "creative and unconventional" ways to pressure Iran as conventional airstrikes have failed to secure a negotiated settlement. Intelligence agencies and senior military leaders say bombing alone is unlikely to force Tehran to change course, and deeply buried sites such as Pickaxe Mountain may require ground operations — a politically risky option after 18 U.S. service members have died. Officials are weighing symbolic strikes, sustained bombardment, or continued pressure amid concerns about civilian casualties and logistics.
Exclusive: CENTCOM Crowdsources 'Creative and Unconventional' Ways to Pressure Iran as Air Campaign Stalls
The Pentagon is seen on April 7, 2026, in Washington, DC. - Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
A senior intelligence officer at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) sent an unusual, wide-reaching email this week asking military analysts for "new creative and unconventional ways" to pressure and punish Iran, according to multiple sources familiar with the message. The outreach reflects growing concern inside the U.S. military and the White House that conventional options have failed to compel Tehran back to the negotiating table.
Why CENTCOM Is Asking
Officials described the crowdsourcing-style query as atypical for a formal chain of command and said it underscores the limited — and politically sensitive — options available to President Donald Trump as he seeks a deal on U.S. terms. CENTCOM acknowledged it is reassessing strategy and has encouraged ideas from across the command.
Smoke rises following explosion at an unknown location, during what CENTCOM says are strikes on Iran, in this screengrab taken from a handout video released on July 29, 2026. - U.S. Central Command/Handout/Reuters
"U.S. Central Command has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways," Capt. Timothy Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said. "Admiral Cooper, in particular, reaches out to members of our great team, regardless of rank, to achieve the highest levels of operational performance possible."
Operational Limits and Options
For weeks, U.S. aircraft have struck targets intended to degrade Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to pressure Tehran into negotiations. But officials and intelligence assessments say air strikes have not produced a negotiated settlement. Both the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency recently judged that the current bombing campaign is unlikely to change Iran's negotiating posture.
Two sources familiar with operational planning said the U.S. has prepared options to strike sites such as Pickaxe Mountain and other locations suspected of holding nuclear material or related equipment. However, many of the suspected facilities are deeply buried; according to planners, missiles and conventional bombs alone may be insufficient to neutralize them.
A man sits on a surfboard as a container ship and other commercial vessels appear anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on July 27, 2026. - Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AP
Destroying those hardened, underground targets would most likely require ground forces — a politically fraught option given the risks and the casualties sustained so far. Eighteen U.S. service members have died in the conflict to date.
Political Constraints and Alternatives
Officials say planners have discussed a range of measures, from intensive one- to two-week bombardments to a symbolic "fireworks" strike meant to deliver a visible blow without a long-term occupation. But senior advisers have raised practical and ethical concerns.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches off the flight deck of the USS George HW Bush, in the US 5th Fleet area of operations, which includes the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, on July 15, 2026. - US Navy
- Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has warned lawmakers that "air power has its limits."
- Officials cite the risk of high civilian casualties if infrastructure targets like bridges or desalination plants are attacked.
- Logistics concerns — including dwindling stocks of interceptors for air defenses — have also weighed on decision-making.
The email from CENTCOM arrived before President Trump publicly threatened fresh strikes and then stood down over the weekend after calls from regional leaders — notably Saudi Arabia's crown prince — urging de-escalation.
Outlook
Administration officials continue to debate whether to escalate, accept a costly stalemate of repeated strikes and counterstrikes, or seek diplomatic avenues to end the confrontation. A senior source summed up the dilemma: "You need creative minds at times — especially if you're running out of conventional options." The request for ideas is a reflection of that search for alternatives.
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