US considers attacking Iranian leaders and even regime change, agency says

Trump makes new threats against Iran and says he is considering a one-off military attack United States military planning for Iran has reached an advanced stage. Options include attacks on specific individuals and even attempting regime change in Tehran, if ordered by President Donald Trump. The information was confirmed by two US authorities to Reuters. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp The plans are yet another sign that Washington is preparing for a possible conflict with Iran if diplomacy fails. Last week, Reuters reported that the US military was considering a multi-week operation targeting Iranian security facilities and nuclear infrastructure. The new information indicates more detailed planning before a decision by Trump. In recent days, the president has publicly mentioned the possibility of regime change in the Islamic Republic. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue, did not detail which Iranian leaders could be targeted by the US. It is also unclear how the Americans could attempt to bring about regime change without sending a large ground force. The eventual search for regime change would represent a change in relation to Trump’s campaign speech. During the election, he criticized military interventions that led to the overthrow of governments in Afghanistan and Iraq. One of the sources interviewed cited the success of Israel’s offensive against Iranian leaders last year. According to regional reports to Reuters, at least 20 Iranian commanders died in 12 days of fighting, including Mohammad Bagheri, then chief of staff of the Armed Forces. “The 12-day war and the attacks on individual targets really showed the usefulness of this approach,” one of the officials said. The focus, according to her, falls on members of the Revolutionary Guard’s chain of command. The source warned that this type of operation requires precise intelligence. To target a specific commander, it is necessary to know the exact location and assess possible collateral damage. It is unclear what information the US currently has on Iranian leaders who could be targeted. The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. In 2019, the Trump administration formally classified the Revolutionary Guard as a foreign terrorist organization. It was the first time that Washington applied this designation to another country’s armed forces. The following year, Trump authorized an attack that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. He headed the Quds Force, the foreign espionage arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Now, Trump has returned to concentrating military capabilities in the Middle East. Much of it is shipped on warships and combat aircraft. A bombing campaign could also rely on support from US-based bombers. READ ALSO INFOGRAPHIC: how the US went beyond threats and surrounded Iran in the Middle East VIDEO: US carries out a new attack in the Pacific, and three suspects are killed Ukraine is not losing the war, says Zelensky Trump points to a reporter during an event at the White House, on October 8, 2025 Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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