The document, which was called “Nuclear Weapons: Planning and Targeting”, was published last week by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It was taken down from the Pentagon’s website soon after, but a copy had been preserved by the federation of American Scientist. One passage said: “Using nuclear weapons could create conditions for decisive results and the restoration of strategic stability.

“Specifically, the use of a nuclear weapon will fundamentally change the scope of a battle and create conditions that affect how commanders will prevail in conflict.”

The news comes after President Donald Trump said “Iran made a very big mistake” by shooting down as US Navy surveillance drone today.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard argued its air force fired the shot at the drone after “it violated the airspace of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

But the US has denied this allegation.

Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, who commands US air forces in the Middle East, said the drone got closer than 34km from the Iranian coast.

He said: “This dangerous and escalatory attack was irresponsible and occurred in the vicinity of established air corridors.”

US Central Command also said the drone, which was a US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk, was shot down while it was over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s biggest shipping routes for oil and gas.

Mr Trump was asked how the US would respond to the attack during a meeting in the Oval Office today.

He said: “You’ll find out.

“This drone was in international waters, clearly. We have it all documented scientifically, not just words. And they made a very bad mistake.”

But the US President later added he found it “hard to believe” that the drone was taken down intentionally.

Military tensions have been rising between the US and Iran since Mr Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, the United States, and the European Union in 2018.

He said Iran was failing to restrict it nuclear activities adequately, as well as not addressing concerns about its ballistic missile program and it support of proxy militias in Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon.

The US also deployed 1,000 troops to the Middle East and said it would respond aggressively to any Iranian attacks in defence.

Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Twitter that the UN would be informed of the US entering its territory.

He said: “We don’t seek war, but will zealously defend our skies, land and waters.”

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