US officials said the US Department of Defence had, a few days ago, instructed Central Command to complete preparations for the possible resumption of large-scale combat operations in Iran. The instructions did not set a date for strikes, while President Trump had not made a final decision on military action, according to a report citing US and Israeli officials.
Assessments point to strikes targeting energy and the nuclear programme
Sources assess that the move could take place before the US midterm elections, and possibly before the Israeli elections scheduled for the preceding week. If major combat operations resume, they are expected to involve intensive bombing of Iranian targets linked to the energy sector, infrastructure and the nuclear programme.
The outbreak of a new confrontation over the next three or four weeks could affect the results of the US midterm elections, amid the possibility of oil prices rising in response to the military developments. A Pentagon official said: “The department’s mission is to prepare military options and present them to the president.”
A White House official confirmed that all options were available to Trump at any time. The official said: “The United States has a very strong position thanks to its control of the Strait of Hormuz and the collapse of the Iranian economy. Iran has been badly hurt, and events will proceed along one of two paths: either the easy path or the difficult path.” The official added that Trump “holds all the cards and will make the best decision for the United States.”
Stalled negotiations and multiple options for Trump
The comments came after reports earlier on Wednesday that Trump was considering directing a strike against Iran before the midterm elections. At the same time, negotiations between the United States and Iran have made no progress, and Qatari mediators are still awaiting an Iranian response to a US counterproposal that included demands for concessions on the nuclear issue.
Although the chances of this happening before the elections are not high, we do not rule it out. After the midterm elections, the chances of it happening increase significantly
Trump and Netanyahu discuss the Iranian issue
As part of the political and security contacts, Trump spoke on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was their second call within a few days, following an interruption in communication that lasted several weeks. A US official said the two sides discussed “remembering and paying respect to the victims of the 7 October massacre” during the call.
The call took place after Netanyahu held a meeting with his national security team to discuss the Iranian issue, according to an Israeli official. Netanyahu also spoke with Rubio on Monday. If major combat operations resume, the reported assessments suggest that the action would be coordinated between the United States and Israel, with the participation of the Israeli army.
Two Israeli officials described the Iranian regime as being in a state of deep despair and extreme suspicion, saying this could prompt it to carry out a pre-emptive strike. They added that the Iranians had been subjected to two surprise attacks and did not want to face a third, as signs of increased military readiness continued to grow.
According to source assessments, a renewed confrontation is also expected to affect the Israeli elections, with Iran likely to respond by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel. Officials also said that a resumption of escalation, or even heightened tensions and the declaration of a state of emergency, could benefit Netanyahu politically and limit his opponents’ ability to attack him during the final and decisive phase of the election campaign.
