Retired Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer told Newsmax on Thursday that the United States would need to exercise extreme caution in any potential follow-on strike against Iran, arguing that future military action should focus on targets that could weaken Iran's ruling theocracy without harming its population.
A "follow-on strike" refers to a subsequent military attack, often occurring shortly after an initial strike, sometimes targeting survivors or reinforcing damage, as seen in recent U.S. operations against suspected drug vessels, where second strikes hit boats with people still alive, raising legal and ethical questions.
The president of Project Sentinel said any additional U.S. military strike on Iran would depend heavily on the target and broader strategic goals, particularly amid rising tensions and public unrest inside the country.
During an appearance on "The Chris Salcedo Show," Shaffer responded to a question about what another strike on Iran could look like if hostilities escalate.
"Well, it depends on what the target is. There are a number of things that are going on right now that we could be helpful with.
"One of those things, obviously, is the unrest in the street. We want to make it very clear, we're against the mullahs and theocracy, not the people of Iran," he said.
"Persians, I think, right now are potentially on the road to being free. So what we want to do is hit things which would help them rise up against the government.
"There's no nuclear sites at this point. There's some missiles, some rockets that are actually sanctioned by the U.N. that we could take out.
"But at this point, I think we'd have to be very careful in contemplating any follow-on strike regarding the targeting."
Shaffer's comments came as Iranian leaders issued fresh warnings following statements from President Donald Trump about the possibility of renewed military action if Tehran attempts to rebuild its nuclear program.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that his country's response to any attack would be severe, signaling heightened sensitivity to U.S. rhetoric.
"Answer of Islamic Republic of Iran to any cruel aggression will be harsh and discouraging," Pezeshkian said in a post by CBS on X.
The Iranian leader did not provide details, but the warning followed remarks by Trump a day earlier during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
"Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again," Trump said during a news conference with Netanyahu after their meeting. "And if they are, we're going to have to knock them down.
"We'll knock them down. We'll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully, that's not happening."
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