As fighting between the United States and Iran intensifies following the collapse of a weeks-long ceasefire, senior Pentagon officials have quietly reviewed potential military options for Cuba, highlighting concerns that Washington could face simultaneous crises in multiple regions.

Reviewing contingency plans

According to multiple U.S. officials familiar with the discussions, military planners have examined a range of contingency plans, including an Army-led air assault involving thousands of U.S. troops from the 101st Airborne Division, the only unit trained for such an operation. Officials stressed the planning does not mean President Donald Trump or Pentagon leaders have decided to launch military action against Cuba.

The discussions come as the U.S. military remains heavily engaged in operations against Iran, forcing defense officials to weigh how additional conflicts could strain personnel and resources.

One senior challenge facing planners is that many of the military's most capable offensive assets have already been shifted to the Middle East to sustain ongoing operations against Iran. Officials told CBS News that redirecting attention toward Cuba is unlikely in the near term because of the renewed fighting.

The Pentagon held a concept-of-operations briefing late June to examine possible missions involving Cuba, officials said. Such planning sessions are routine and are designed to evaluate potential objectives, troop requirements, logistics, sequencing and operational risks before any policy decisions are made.

Frustration with Cuba's leadership

The military planning follows the Trump administration's growing frustration with Cuba's leadership after diplomatic efforts failed to produce political or economic reforms.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has continued to advocate for a negotiated transition to a technocratic government willing to implement economic reforms. But in a July 11 statement, Rubio said Cuba's leadership has instead resisted change, saying the regime and its "corrupt elites" continue to refuse reform while "perpetuating their total control" and adhering to a "morally bankrupt Marxist ideology."

The State Department has also expanded sanctions targeting Cuba's military-controlled business network and other state-owned entities that officials say finance the government and paramilitary organizations responsible for suppressing dissent.

Meanwhile, the expanding conflict with Iran has exposed tensions inside the Trump administration over the direction of the war.

Donald Trump's frustration

Sources familiar with internal discussions told CBS News that Trump has privately expressed frustration with the pace of Operation Epic Fury, believing his administration missed an earlier opportunity to avoid a prolonged conflict after rejecting an Iranian proposal to limit its nuclear program.

Two U.S. officials said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advocated for a more aggressive military posture toward Iran despite reservations from Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, contributing to the president's dissatisfaction as the campaign became more difficult than initially expected.

Despite those reported disagreements, the White House publicly rejected suggestions of discord.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the president "has been extraordinarily proud" of Hegseth's leadership alongside Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, "throughout Operation Epic Fury, which completely destroyed Iran's ballistic missiles, production facilities, navy, air defenses and more." She added that the recent U.S. strikes against Iran prove the U.S. "can attack anywhere, anytime, and Iran can do nothing about it."

Joshua Wilburn is a writer at Knewz