The United States has fired a top military planner, US media reported, in a surprise shake-up as President Donald Trump appears to be preparing to resume large-scale strikes against Iran.

Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was removed from his role as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff, US outlets reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

A spokesperson for the Joint Staff, a top Pentagon body that handles planning and other issues, initially issued a statement that appeared to confirm Sylvia’s departure but later withdrew it, saying: “Out of respect for the servicemember and the ongoing personnel process we will not comment further.”

Since returning to office early last year, Trump has overseen a purge of top military personnel, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Charles “CQ” Brown, whom he fired without explanation in February 2025.

Other senior officers pushed out include the heads of the US Army, Navy and Coast Guard, the general who headed the National Security Agency, the vice chief of staff of the US Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to Nato, and three top military lawyers.

Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants, but Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential politicisation of the traditionally neutral US military.

Hegseth said last month that the US had slashed the number of its generals and admirals by 20 per cent, in a move he said was aimed at “accountability”. He suggested the cuts targeted officers who failed to get on board with his efforts to ensure the military is focused on war-fighting rather than the “woke” policies of previous administrations, describing the reductions as an “accomplishment”.

The reported sacking of Sylvia comes as Trump is believed to be weighing fresh strikes against Iran after US midterm elections next Tuesday.

“We may do another little Epic Fury,” Trump said last week, referring to US-Israeli attacks on Tehran in February that triggered the war.

He did not give any indication on timing.

Neither the US nor Iran has engaged in major attacks on land-based targets since early September, settling instead into a pattern of strikes on commercial ships.

No reason was given for Sylvia’s reported departure.

His previous roles included leading the 101st Airborne Division — the US army’s air assault division — and heading a unit in Iraq.