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29 Oct 2026, 11:47

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has dismissed the top Pentagon planning official amid discussions of potential military options by the Donald Trump administration for operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

CNN reported that General Burt Silvio, director of the Strategy, Plans, and Policy Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (known as "J5"), was abruptly removed from his position, and his information has been deleted from the official Army website. A spokesperson for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed Silvio's departure after 32 years of service but did not provide details on the reasons for his dismissal or his successor. The J5 division is the primary arm for providing high-level military advice to the President of the United States.

This sudden change comes as U.S. officials state that American forces in the region are prepared to launch extensive operations against Iran within 96 hours of receiving an order from Trump, with some sources suggesting a high likelihood of such an order being issued after the midterm elections.

Silvio's dismissal is the latest action in Hegseth's broader changes within military command ranks. He had previously removed dozens of senior officers, including the Army Chief of Staff and Silvio's predecessors.
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