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No one is better than President Donald Trump at putting maximum pressure on Iran. As protests against the repressive, murderous regime continue, Trump is talking about military options as another means of adding to the dilemmas for Iran’s government. “Locked and loaded,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 2, as the protests by the Iranian people ramped up.
The U.S. military always has a list of target options when it comes to Iran. Operation Midnight Hammer took out just a specific set of nuclear enrichment and weapons design facilities in order to obliterate Iran’s ability to race to a bomb. But the B-2 strike of June 22, 2025, did not go after Iran’s underground sites hiding missiles, launchers and fuel production.
One act by Iran would bring on strikes for sure: Trump on Sunday said he would “hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before” if American forces are targeted. This is an important red line. Remember Iran struck out at U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, back on June 23, 2025; and previously hit U.S. forces at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on Jan. 8, 2020.
Here are three potential options that may be considered by President Trump.
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1. Missile production
Iran is still building ballistic missiles and importing solid rocket fuel precursors such as sodium perchlorate from China. The CIA’s map shows more than two dozen above and below-ground sites across the Iran linked to testing, development, production and storage of missiles. Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu let it be known in late December that Iran was trying to rebuild its missile stocks and air defenses. He probably shared more details during his visit with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 30. Iran expended hundreds of missiles in strikes on Israel in 2024-25 and wants to get back the ability to target Israel with big salvos. That would be bad.
2. Space launch facilities
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Iran has over 30 satellites in orbit and Russia just launched three more for them in December. That’s the last thing we need, rogue Iranian satellites. Worse, Iran’s space launch rockets are easy to repurpose as attack missiles. Iran popped an undeclared ballistic missile out of their Iman Khomenei space port back in September. That’s in violation of U.N sanctions, by the way. It wouldn’t surprise me if their new launch facility under construction at Chabahar is also on the watch list.
3. Drone factories
Iran’s infamous drones used to hit Ukraine are made by Shahed Aviation Industries, run in part by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Don’t forget that the IRGC is also a big business operation. The IRGC funds terrorism so their drone business is a legitimate military target. Too bad the drone factory Iran set up in Russia won’t be on this list.
Any options briefed to the president will come with extensive evaluation of ways to prevent collateral damage or inadvertent civilian deaths. The aim, after all, is pressure on the regime.
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All this is easy work for Central Command. U.S. F-15E fighters led strikes on ISIS targets in Syria on Saturday, and additional Air Force F-35s, F-16s and B-2 and B-1 bombers could augment the packages alongside U.S. Navy destroyers and submarines with Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAMs).
What about world reaction? France, Germany and Great Britain are already on record condemning Iran’s dubious space launch activities. Missiles from Iran can reach southern Europe. Hence the activation in 2023 of the Aegis Ashore radar system in Poland and Romania designed to track missiles launched out of Iran.
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As a corollary to the White House Briefing, the president will be informed of the defensive posture of U.S. forces in the Middle East. Tipped by U.S. Space Forces, U.S. Navy destroyers used the Standard Missile SM-3 to kill several Iranian missiles in 2024 and will be ready to do so again.
No doubt most Americans would love to see the end of Ayatollah Khamenei’s tyranny. Until that day comes, Trump’s prudent course may be to make sure Iran’s military capabilities are broken into a million pieces.
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