Protesters hold signs calling on the American president to intervene in Iran during a demonstration in front of Berlin, Jan. 12, 2026. (Credit: John MacDougall/AFP)
While U.S. President Donald Trump has not ruled out engaging with Iran diplomatically through negotiations, he is still considering military action against the country, where thousands of people are believed to have been killed in a crackdown on widespread protests over the last two and a half weeks.
According to a New York Times report published Monday, the Pentagon has presented Trump with a wider range of strike options than had been previously reported. Possible targets include Iran’s nuclear program, going beyond the U.S. airstrikes that battered it in June, and ballistic missile sites, a U.S. official told the newspaper.
A cyberattack or a strike against Iran’s domestic security apparatus, which is has been attacking protestors with lethal force, are more likely, the official said, adding that whatever is decided, the attack would be at least several days away.
According to the official, it is expected that Iran's retaliation would be significant. Trump is scheduled to be briefed on options on Tuesday evening. Tuesday morning, his national security team met at the White House to draw up plans.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that airstrikes were “one of the many, many options that are on the table,” but that “diplomacy is always the first option for the president.”
The protest movement, triggered in Tehran on Dec. 28 by merchants denouncing the high cost of living and currency depreciation, has spread to many cities and intensified in recent days.
With a total shutdown of internet and phone lines by the regime throughout all of Iran, information has been difficult to obtain, let alone confirm. Estimates place the number of deaths so far at somewhere between 800 and 12,000.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to carry out military strikes in Iran, claiming U.S. attacks would be in the defense of protestors and the Iranian people. He also announced a 25 percent import tariff on any country trading with Iran.
The ongoing protests are the largest in Iran since those following the 2022 killing by Iranian security forces of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating the strict female dress code.
Iran was weakened by the war against Israel and blows dealt to several of its regional allies, and its economy continues to struggle under heavy sanctions levied against it by many Western countries. The U.N. reinstated sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program in September.
