U.S. can use military forces against Iran - White House

U.S. President Donald Trump is not afraid to use military force against Iran is he thinks it necessary, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

"I think one thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table and air strikes would be one of the many, many options on the table for the commander in chief," Leavitt said.

She stressed that diplomacy is always the first option for the U.S. president.

Earlier, former U.S. officials said options would range from large-scale military attacks to more targeted strikes on specific Iranian leaders or police infrastructure. The U.S. also is likely to consider cyberattacks against the government, as well as online "influence operations" aimed at boosting the messaging of protesters online and undermining the Iranian government.