Hegseth Removes Top Pentagon Planning Officer as US Weighs Fresh Iran Strikes: Report

US military planning faces a leadership change as Washington considers fresh strikes on Iran, with Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia removed from his position as director for strategy, plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to a CNN report.

CNN reported that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dismissed Sylvia. A spokesperson for Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine confirmed the lieutenant general’s abrupt departure.

No reason for the dismissal was provided, and no replacement had been named, the report said. It did not establish a connection between Sylvia’s removal and deliberations over possible strikes on Iran.

A KEY ROLE IN MILITARY STRATEGY

Sylvia held the position commonly known as J5, which helps develop military strategies, plans and policy recommendations for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to the Joint Chiefs’ website, the office supports the chairman’s military advice to the president and other national leaders. Its responsibilities include placing recommendations in a broader strategic context, coordinating with government agencies and allies, incorporating combatant commanders’ requirements and assessing operational risks.

The departure therefore affects an office closely involved in shaping advice on US military engagement overseas.

ANOTHER SENIOR PENTAGON DEPARTURE

Sylvia’s removal follows a series of senior military and civilian leadership changes under Hegseth.

The departures cited in the report include Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, General David Hodne, Navy Secretary John Phelan and General Timothy Haugh, who led US Cyber Command and the National Security Agency.

The report provided no public explanation for Sylvia’s dismissal. The timing comes as Washington weighs its next steps towards Iran, although the considerations behind his removal remain unclear.

IRAN CALLS FOR PREPAREDNESS

Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, called for an end to the region’s state of “neither war nor peace”.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged continued preparation for emerging scenarios during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, according to state news agency IRNA.

The discussions covered the country’s management, national resilience and responses to external threats. Pezeshkian stressed the need to withstand sanctions and outside pressure.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also briefed the cabinet on diplomatic developments and regional consultations, including visits by a Qatari delegation and Pakistan’s army chief.

With inputs from ANI