Hegseth fires Pentagon strategist accused of Iran war leaks

According to Al-Monitor, Sylvia headed the Joint Staff’s policy, plans and strategy office, known as J5. He did not draft the military’s plans for war with Iran but was responsible for approving them and weighing their costs against other operations, the report said. He previously led the 101st Airborne Division and is the latest of more than a dozen generals and admirals dismissed by Hegseth since 2024; his removal was first reported by The Atlantic.

An anonymous defense official accused Sylvia of “severe misconduct,” saying he was under investigation for leaking classified information about the Iran war, the Russia-Ukraine war and other matters. The official said Sylvia met journalists outside the Pentagon because of its media policy and failed three polygraphs; the investigation remains ongoing and has been referred to the Department of Justice. Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell said the removal followed an “extensive Air Force OSI investigation.”

Al-Monitor reported that the Trump administration is weighing whether to resume intensive attacks on Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Sylvia’s predecessor on the Joint Staff, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was also pushed out, reportedly after friction with Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.