CENTCOM presents options for renewed Iran military operations

WASHINGTON — US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper presented President Donald Trump with options for resuming military operations against Iran at the White House on Thursday, 29 October, according to Antara, citing The Wall Street Journal.

Everything in this report comes from the Indonesian news agency Antara, which attributes its account to The Wall Street Journal and to unnamed sources cited by that newspaper. Zenga News has not independently verified the details.

The briefing

According to Antara's summary of the Journal's report, the briefing took place at the White House. Antara said the Journal's sources described Cooper as laying out several options. The report, as relayed by Antara, does not say what those options are.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine also attended the meeting, Antara reported.

The session followed a similar briefing the day before. Antara said military officials gave Vice President JD Vance a comparable presentation at the White House on Wednesday.

The source material does not say whether Trump made any decision after the briefing. It also does not give a timeline for any possible action.

Trump's earlier remarks

Antara said Trump had earlier stated that Washington might carry out military operations against Iran again under Operation Epic Fury. The agency did not say when he made those remarks.

Trump also said Tehran should return to negotiations if it wanted to avoid escalation, according to Antara. In the agency's Indonesian-language report, he was quoted as saying: "If they are smart, they will return to the negotiating table." That wording is a translation from Indonesian and may differ from his original English statement.

Antara added that Trump also left open the possibility of resuming US military operations against Iran.

Background

Antara gave this outline of the conflict. On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched strikes on several targets in Iran. Antara said Tehran responded by attacking targets in Israel and US facilities in the region.

In mid-June 2026, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding intended to halt hostilities, according to Antara. The agency said both sides resumed attacks on each other not long afterwards.

Antara described the conflict as still unresolved. It said the two countries continue to disagree over how to reach a settlement and end hostilities.

Antara's report also linked to two related items. One concerned Jordan and Iran discussing efforts to reach a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The other concerned a US recommendation that ships avoid sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The summary provided does not include details of either item.

What is not confirmed

The report does not include a statement from the White House, CENTCOM or the Pentagon about the briefings. It does not name the Journal's sources. It does not describe the content of the options Cooper presented. Nor does it give Iran's response to the reported planning or to Trump's remarks.