US Weighs Limited Military Options as Trump Calls for Quick, Conclusive Blow to Iran

US President Donald Trump has told his national security team that any potential US military action against Iran must deliver a swift and decisive blow and avoid a prolonged conflict, according to officials cited by NBC News on January 15.

Trump has made clear that if he authorizes strikes, he wants them to be “definitive,” but advisers have so far been unable to assure him that a US attack would quickly collapse Iran’s regime.

Officials warned that Tehran could retaliate aggressively and that the US may lack sufficient regional assets to fully contain such a response, according to NBC.

As a result, the administration is weighing more limited or targeted military options, at least initially, while keeping the possibility of escalation open.

Officials stressed that no final decision has been made and described the situation as fast-moving.

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Speaking publicly, Trump said he had received information suggesting that Iranian authorities had halted the killing of protesters and suspended planned executions—actions he has previously said could trigger US intervention. “We’re going to watch and see what the process is,” he told reporters.

US Central Command has prepared and refined military options for Trump in recent days, while the Pentagon has taken precautionary steps, including repositioning some US troops in the region, to reduce the risk to American forces should Iran retaliate, NBC News reported.

Previously, it was reported that Ukraine is closely monitoring developments in Iran and the mass protests there, describing them as reflecting the Iranian people’s desire for freedom, dignity, and a better future, according to a statement by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry stated it “firmly condemns” what it described as Iran’s authorities repressing their own people and an unprecedented rise in the number of people killed and injured among protest participants, calling it a gross violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

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