Trump was reportedly given a 'menu' of options for the Iran strike that included ships, missile facilities, and militia groups
Trump ultimately chose to target Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian military official, who was killed in a US airstrike on Friday.
The other options included strikes on Iranian ships, or missile facilities, or against Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more storiesPentagon officials reportedly offered US President Donald Trump a list of other, less-severe options for dealing with escalating tensions with Iran. Trump ultimately chose the option to target Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian military official, who was killed in a US airstrike on Friday.
He was given the option to strike Iranian ships, missile facilities, or Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq, according to The Times. The officials offered the possibility of killing Soleimani mainly to make the other options seem more appealing, which The Times said is a common tactic US officials take with presidents.
Trump initially elected to strike against militia groups. On Sunday, the US military struck three locations in Iraq and two in Syria that were controlled by an Iranian-backed militia,
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