U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing a range of options — from targeted military action to cyber operations and tighter sanctions — as Iran enters a third week of nationwide anti-government protests and the reported death toll climbs, according to U.S. officials familiar with internal deliberations.
Two U.S. officials told CNN the president has been briefed on plans that, if authorised, would focus on Iran’s security services used to suppress demonstrations, while explicitly avoiding “boots on the ground.” The options also include non-kinetic steps such as cyber operations aimed at disrupting regime capabilities, new sanctions targeting regime figures or key sectors like energy and banking, and efforts to expand internet access for protesters, including possible support for satellite connectivity tools such as Starlink, officials said.
The deliberations come amid concerns inside the administration that airstrikes could backfire — potentially triggering a “rally around the flag” effect among Iranians or prompting retaliation by Tehran across the region. More formal briefings are expected in the coming days, including a meeting Tuesday at which Trump is expected to convene senior national security officials to discuss next steps, according to the CNN account.
Iran’s leadership has issued blunt warnings. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said U.S. military and commercial installations in the region — as well as Israel — would become “legitimate targets” if Washington intervened militarily.
Israel, meanwhile, has moved to a heightened state of readiness as it monitors the unrest in Iran and the possibility of U.S. action, Reuters reported, citing Israeli sources. An Israeli security consultation was expected Sunday night with Iran and Lebanon among the top issues.
Diplomacy is also active. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, a U.S. official confirmed, amid reports the leaders discussed the Iran protests alongside Gaza and Syria.
Human rights groups say the crackdown has been severe, but the scale remains difficult to verify independently amid an internet blackout and limited access to information. Reuters cited the U.S.-based HRANA network as reporting more than 500 deaths — including 490 protesters and 48 security personnel — and over 10,600 arrests, noting it could not independently confirm the figures and that Iran has not released official casualty totals.
Trump has publicly framed the unrest as a pivotal moment, warning that if Iranian authorities use lethal force, the United States could “get involved,” while saying any response would not require ground troops
