Preparations for a new war against Iran? Critical liquidation at the Pentagon's strategy center

According to information obtained from American military sources, the sudden dismissal of Sylvia, who was responsible for strategy, planning and policies within the US General Staff, coincided with the expectations that new attacks could be launched against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections. This development in Washington brought the future of the Trump administration's comprehensive change in the military command and the future of the war plans against Iran to the agenda again.

Critical mission change at the Pentagon's Strategic Planning Center

According to information provided by US diplomatic sources, Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was dismissed this week from his position as Director of Strategy, Planning and Policy within the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. A new name has not yet been appointed to replace Sylvia, who holds an important position in the strategic planning mechanism of the American army.

This change in the Pentagon's senior military decision-making mechanism took place at a time when assessments that US President Donald Trump could restart large-scale attacks against Iran intensified. Sylvia's dismissal adds a new one to the remarkable reshuffle that has taken place at the top command of the American military since Trump came back to power.

20 percent intervention in military personnel under Trump administration

The latest change of duty in the Pentagon is evaluated together with the Trump administration's policy of reshaping the senior command structure of the American army. In his statement last month, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the implementation of a 20 percent reduction in the positions of generals and admirals in the army and defended this policy with the aim of strengthening "accountability" in military management.

Hegseth described the diversity and equality policies of previous American administrations as "woke ideology" and stated that the army should be distanced from these approaches. Emphasizing that he wanted the American military structure to focus directly on its fighting capacity, the Minister of Defense also defended changes for officers who did not comply with his own reform policies. While Hegseth described the reduction in senior military staff as a "success", this approach brought about discussions in Washington about the future of the army's institutional structure and chain of command.

Possibility of a new operation against Iran after November 3

Evaluations from American diplomatic and military circles reveal that Washington keeps the option of a new military operation against Iran on its agenda. Especially after the American midterm elections to be held on November 3, 2026, the possibility that the Trump administration may launch new attacks against Tehran is considered. In his statement last week, President Trump clearly raised the option of a new operation against Iran, saying, "We can carry out another small 'Epic Rage' operation."

The operation mentioned by Trump is a reference to the attacks carried out by the USA and Israel against Tehran in February, which led to the start of the war. The American President did not announce any timetable for when a new operation could begin. Therefore, the possible connection between the assessments of military preparations in Washington and Sylvia's dismissal is not yet clear.

Silence on land, mutual attacks on seas

The military tension between the USA and Iran has been continuing in a different conflict dynamic since the beginning of September. While the two countries have not carried out large-scale attacks against land targets since this date, the center of gravity of mutual military activities has shifted to attacks on commercial ships.

The continuation of mutual attacks targeting maritime trade between American and Iranian forces shows that the war continues without large-scale land operations. The current situation, which emerged after the conflicts that started with the attacks of the USA and Israel on Tehran in February, also brings to the agenda the possible effects of a new American operation on regional security balances. Trump's announcement that a new "Epic Fury" operation may be organized strengthens the question of whether the ongoing military tension at sea will turn into a large-scale attack targeting Iranian territory again.

From the Airborne Division to the Pentagon's Strategy Center

The military career of dismissed Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia reveals the strategic importance of the change in the Pentagon. Sylvia previously served as the commander of the 101st Airborne Division, which played important roles in air assault operations of the American Land Forces. He also took command of an American military unit in Iraq. Following her operational experience in the field, Sylvia was appointed director of strategy, planning and policy within the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and took part in the upper echelons of the American military decision-making mechanism. The directorate in question plays a critical function in developing military strategies, preparing operational plans and shaping high-level military decisions. For this reason, Sylvia's dismissal is considered not only a personnel change, but also an important development in terms of the strategic planning structure of the American army. However, there is no confirmed information that the dismissal decision is directly linked to possible military operations against Iran.

Critical question in Washington: Military liquidation or preparation for a new war?

Developments in Washington show that the Trump administration is carrying out two important security and defense processes simultaneously. The first of these is the restructuring of the upper command level of the American military under the leadership of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; The second is to evaluate the possibility of a new and large-scale military operation against Iran. On the one hand, there is the military restructuring policy, which aims to reduce the staff of generals and admirals by 20 percent, and on the other hand, Trump brings up the possibility of a new operation, referring to the US-Israeli attacks in February.

While expectations for the post-November 3 midterm elections draw attention in American diplomatic and military circles, the fact that large-scale land attacks between the USA and Iran have stopped since September, but mutual attacks on commercial ships continue, shows that the conflict is not over yet. It remains unclear what impact the change of duty in the Pentagon's strategic planning mechanism will have in this process. The key question for Washington is whether the ongoing change in senior military personnel is merely part of the Trump administration's institutional restructuring policy, or whether there is a more comprehensive transformation in the military decision-making structure ahead of possible new operations against Iran. Current information is not sufficient to establish a direct causal relationship between these two processes.