Politics
Hegseth dismisses Pentagon's top war planner without explanation
October 29, 2026 at 03:56 AM
Coverage
3 reports · 2 in Arabic, 1 in English · over 2 hours
CNCNN
Hegseth ousts Pentagon’s chief planner as renewed action against Iran looms, source says
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MAMasrawy
بيت هيجسيث يُقيل كبير المخططين في وزارة الدفاع الأمريكية
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SNSky News Arabia
هيغسيث يقيل عسكريا بارزا "من دون تفسير أو بديل"
(opens the publisher’s site)US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon's senior planner, Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, without explanation or a named successor.
- Hegseth dismissed Sylvia from the Joint Chiefs of Staff this week.
- Sylvia, former commander of the 101st Airborne Division, is the latest senior officer removed since Hegseth took office about two years ago.
- The Pentagon has not named a successor; typically the Joint Chiefs' deputy director fills the post temporarily pending Senate confirmation.
- Sylvia is the second officer ousted from the post; his predecessor, Lieutenant General Joseph McGee, was forced into retirement.
- The dismissal comes as Trump weighs strikes on Iran, with US forces in the Middle East ready to launch operations within 96 hours of an order.