Senior Pentagon Strategist Ousted Amid US Military Planning for Iran: Report

WASHINGTON, Oct 29:  US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, who headed the Pentagon’s Joint Staff directorate responsible for strategy, plans and policy, The Hill reported Wednesday, citing two US officials familiar with the matter.

Sylvia led the Joint Staff’s Directorate for Strategy, Plans and Policy, known as J-5. He was removed from his post this week, although the reason for the decision was not immediately clear, according to the report.

A Joint Staff spokesperson confirmed Sylvia’s departure but did not provide a reason for the move.

“The Chairman, the Joint Staff and the Joint Force extend our deepest gratitude to Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia and his family for their 32 years of distinguished service to our nation,” the spokesperson told The Hill.

“We wish him and his family the best as they graduate to new opportunities and the next chapters of their lives,” the spokesperson added.

It was not immediately clear who would succeed Sylvia, the report said.

His removal comes amid heightened attention to US military planning concerning Iran. Local media have previously reported that US Central Command had developed plans for potential strikes against Iranian targets that could be carried out after the November midterm elections, subject to authorization from the White House.

However, no direct link has been established between Sylvia’s removal and the reported Iran strike planning.

The departure marks another senior military personnel change under Hegseth, who became US defense secretary in January 2025.