CENTCOM ‘already saying no’ to Pentagon on Iran civilian targets, retired major general says
WASHINGTON, DC: Retired Major General Randy Manner on Tuesday, April 7, revealed that he has received secondhand reports that military officials are “already saying no” to Pentagon leadership regarding potential strikes on civilian targets in Iran.
Speaking on MS NOW’s ‘Deadline: White House’ with Nicolle Wallace, Manner described a "quiet resistance" within United States Central Command intended to prevent the US from committing war crimes.
CENTCOM rejects civilian strike requests in Iran
During the interview, Manner discussed the friction between the Pentagon and military commanders following Donald Trump’s threats to strike civilian infrastructure.
Manner noted that while he lacks firsthand knowledge, his sources indicate that the chain of command is already filtering out illegal requests.
“I think it’s more clear than ever before this concept of following– that you’re not supposed to follow illegal orders,” Manner told Nicolle Wallace.
He further claimed, “I have already indications that many targets that were recommended by the Secretary of Defense were rejected by CENTCOM, that they were civilian targets.”
CENTCOM faces pressure amid Pentagon tensions
The retired general explained that military leaders are currently operating under immense pressure.
He noted that the CENTCOM commander is “walking a very thin line where he is trying to do the best he can to implement military objectives as he understands them, without getting fired.”
Manner highlighted that this internal tension is occurring at a time when the Secretary of Defense has already removed several senior officers for “no apparent reason.”
Despite the "bizarre behavior" of the administration, Manner stated, “I don’t think the world needs to be concerned. And I’m not trying to dismiss this renegade discussion and this bizarre behavior of our president. But I don’t think that anything substantial is going to happen tonight at 8 PM. I believe that the answer will be no.”
Military planners steer away from civilian targets
Manner clarified that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had "requested" strikes that were ultimately turned down. He described a strategy in which officers redirect leadership toward legitimate military targets to avoid atrocities.
“The idea of attacking bridges that are clearly, overwhelmingly for civilian use would be a war crime, and that the planners in CENTCOM would not permit that,” Manner asserted.
He then compared this subtle redirection to a “Jedi mind trick,” where officials tell the hierarchy, “these are not the droids you’re looking for.”
Manner concluded that this resistance is a move to “get this in military lanes, not attacking the civilian infrastructure,” though the outcome of a direct presidential order remains a concerning unknown.
