Yes, President Donald Trump does have an operational plan in Iran, but his detractors still contend that he does not. Are they actually in the dark – or just talking trash? The leadership in Congress gets highly classified briefings on the objectives of the Trump administration’s air war against Iran. Lawmakers know that there is a plan, but his critics – predominantly Democrats – run breathlessly to the press to say he does not.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), on March 3, after attending a classified briefing, asserted: “It is so much worse than you thought. You are right to be worried. The Trump administration has no plan in Iran.” Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), on March 4, explained: “I just left the classified briefing on Iran. And it only confirmed what we already knew: Donald Trump is waging an illegal war, and he has no plan to end it." Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) declared: “I just left the classified briefing on Iran. And it only confirmed what we already knew: Donald Trump is waging an illegal war, and he has no plan to end it." All three of these senators are categorically wrong. One wonders whether they are actually listening or merely memorizing their one talking point. The situation calls to mind the grandfatherly advice, “You have two ears and one mouth. That’s because you should be listening twice as much as talking.” The senators and other critics might want to remember that.
There Is a Plan for Iran – Whether Critics Believe It or Not
So, to set the record straight, let’s go over the plan that critics say doesn’t exist. The US forces, the Israel Defense Force (IDF), and the Gulf partners have no soldiers on the ground in Iran. To this point, the conflict has been an air war. Iran has been launching ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles at Israel, US bases in the region, and the Gulf States. The US and Israel have attacked and destroyed over 15,000 targets in Iran. The pummeling of Iran from the air establishes the strategic underpinning of the US and Israeli plan. During a Pentagon press conference, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, discussing the number of targets hit, pointed out: “That’s well over 1,000 a day.” But the air battle is not just flailing away randomly at Iranian targets of opportunity; they’re purposeful in achieving a plan.
On March 4, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained at a White House briefing that the US plan is fourfold. The first objective is to “destroy the regime's deadly ballistic missiles and completely raze their missile industry to the ground.” This includes drones, cruise missiles, launchers, stockpiles, and production facilities. It is a battle of logistics. If Iran has no inventory of offensive weapons and no means of producing them, the regime, over a short period of time, will be unable to attack Israel, US bases, and partners in the Gulf region. Furthermore, Iran will not be able to put shipping in the Strait of Hormuz at risk because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will have no backup inventory of anti-ship missiles or mines, nor the means to produce them.
Again, from Hegseth: “Their missile volume is down 90%. Their one-way attack drones, yesterday, down 95%. And as the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz, something we're dealing with, we have been dealing with it and don't need to worry about it.” Additionally, the Institute for the Study of War made the point, “There is little to no evidence that Iran is holding missiles or drones in reserve to expend after the U.S. and its allies run out of interceptors.”
Secondly, the plan is to destroy the Iranian Navy. Methodically, US forces are doing that. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Dan Caine explained: “In less than two weeks, we've rendered the Iranian Navy combat ineffective and continue to attack naval vessels, including all of their Soleimani-class warships, which were armed with anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft weapons.” At this writing, more than 60 Iranian warships – including frigates, corvettes, submarines, drone carriers, and 16 minelayers – have been destroyed.
The third element of the plan, Leavitt said, is to ensure that Iran, through its proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Yemeni Houthi terrorists, can never be a threat and “in the region can no longer destabilize the region or the free world and attack our armed forces, and thus far Iran's proxies are hardly putting up a fight.” Israel and the US are striking at the remnants of the senior leadership and government infrastructure. IDF airstrikes have focused on key senior leadership institutions to “disrupt senior decision-making,” according to Critical Threats Project, an American Enterprise Institute research initiative focusing on national security. The relentless air attacks on the IRGC, Law Enforcement Command, and the Basij militia have made thinking about supporting proxies in the region inopportune. There simply is no Iranian government outreach capability to support proxies. That’s the plan.
Iran Cannot Reconstitute Its Nuclear Program
Lastly, and most critically, this mission is designed to make sure Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon. Following up on the June 2025 12-day war, air assaults targeted Iran’s attempt to reconstitute its nuclear weapon development. According to the Institute for the Study of War, “The combined force [US, Israeli] struck the Natanz Nuclear Facility in Esfahan Province on March 2, which marks the first attack on an Iranian nuclear site since the start of the US-Israeli campaign on February 28.” Satellite imagery indicates that the nuclear refining facility was severely damaged. The Natanz complex was Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment complex. The object of the persistent airstrikes is to completely destroy Iran’s capability to resurrect its atomic weapons development. Between the Israeli and US air attacks, that appears to be the result.
Is there much work ahead? Absolutely. However - and despite his opponents' claims - the president's plan is being executed systematically and lethally.
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The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.
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