Pentagon shake-up: Hegseth fires top US military strategist as Trump weighs new Iran strikes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly removed one of the Pentagon’s most senior military planners as President Donald Trump considers renewed strikes against Iran amid the eight-month-long war.

Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia led the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s J5 directorate, responsible for developing military strategy, preparing operational plans, and advising senior commanders on major security threats and potential military campaigns. The position plays a key role in shaping US military options, including contingency planning for conflicts involving Iran.

Sylvia was dismissed without a publicly stated explanation or an immediate replacement, becoming the second general removed from the influential J5 post under Hegseth.

The firing adds to a series of senior military leadership changes at a critical moment for US operations in the Middle East. The Joint Staff thanked Sylvia for his 32 years of service but offered no reason for his departure.

J5 directoratePete HegsethUS Defense SecretaryUS-Iran WarUSA