Pentagon Prepares New Iran Target List Amid Rising Military Challenges

US defense officials have reportedly prepared a new list of Iranian military targets that could be struck if President Donald Trump decides to resume large-scale military operations against Iran, according to informed American sources.

A report published by NBC News revealed that the Pentagon has updated its operational plans following months of escalating regional tensions and previous waves of military strikes that targeted key Iranian defense infrastructure. However, military officials acknowledge that any future phase of operations would be significantly more complex than the initial attacks launched in late February.

According to the report, many of Iran’s remaining military assets are now protected through advanced concealment methods and rapid deployment systems. A considerable portion of the country’s strategic equipment has reportedly been relocated to fortified underground facilities or mobile platforms that are difficult to detect and target in real time.

The remaining target list reportedly includes mobile ballistic missile launch systems such as Shahab, Sejjil, and Khorramshahr missiles, in addition to fortified nuclear and missile facilities, including the heavily protected Fordow underground nuclear site. The list also includes mobile air defense systems, drone operation centers, and naval assets positioned near the Strait of Hormuz and Bandar Abbas, including fast attack boats and anti-ship missile platforms.

Sources further indicated that the Pentagon’s assessment includes mobile command-and-control centers and dispersed weapons storage facilities spread across several regions of Iran. American military analysts describe this approach as part of Tehran’s “decentralized deployment strategy,” adopted after the first wave of US and Israeli strikes.

Military experts believe Iran has increasingly shifted toward what is known as the “hedgehog strategy,” a defensive doctrine focused on reducing reliance on fixed military bases while increasing mobility, camouflage, and concealment in mountainous terrain and densely populated urban areas. The strategy is intended to reduce the effectiveness of American air strikes and complicate intelligence gathering efforts.

US estimates suggest that Iran drew significant lessons from the earlier phase of operations, during which more than 5,000 military sites were reportedly targeted. In response, Tehran is believed to have redistributed its military capabilities more flexibly while maintaining sufficient deterrence power, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.

Although earlier strikes caused substantial damage to parts of Iran’s military infrastructure, including elements of its air force, defense industries, and naval capabilities, US officials caution that completing future operations would require continuous intelligence coverage and large quantities of precision-guided munitions.