White House sought military options from Pentagon to strike Iran last year

State and Pentagon officials were rattled by the request

On a warm night in early September, militants fired three mortars into Baghdad’s sprawling diplomatic quarter, home to the US Embassy.

The shells—launched by a group aligned with Iran—landed in an open lot, harming no one. But they triggered unusual alarm in Washington, where President Trump’s national security team conducted a series of meetings to discuss a forceful American response.

As part of the talks, Mr Trump’s National Security Council, led by John Bolton, asked the Pentagon to provide the White House with military options to strike Iran. 

The request, which hasn’t been previously reported, generated concern at the Pentagon and State Department,