Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing Donald Trump to resume strikes against Iran while trailing in polls before Israeli elections scheduled for Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the Israeli prime minister was preparing an operation against Iranian civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, the Financial Times reported. The United States and Israel have since developed specific plans for renewed strikes after the American midterm elections.
Trump has ruled out the bombing plan before the US midterm elections on Nov. 3, and earlier this month promised there would be no strike before the vote. He has vetoed several proposals to return to major combat this year, most recently this month.
The president has nevertheless signalled that a decision has been deferred rather than abandoned. “Most people think it will happen after the elections,” Trump said. He also said the United States was not negotiating with Iran and that “something is going to happen very soon, one way or another”.
The two militaries are preparing what the Times described as a short, intensive operation. Their exercises have increased, including flights over Iraq to practise strike manoeuvres.
US and Israeli defence officials said this month that the operation was close to ready for launch. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, met Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss new strikes.
The likely targets include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and its missile and drone arsenal. Some officials said refineries could be excluded from the target list to avoid higher gasoline prices. Some US planners believe a three-day campaign could inflict enough economic damage to alter Iran’s position.
The American force includes three aircraft carriers, thousands of Marines, fighter jets and special operations forces. It will not be fully in place until early November, when Iran will also have longer hours of darkness.
The timetable leaves Netanyahu facing his own electoral test before the American vote. Israeli elections are scheduled for Tuesday. If he loses, he would become a caretaker prime minister and would find it difficult to launch a war.
Iran has responded with its own warning. Its foreign minister said Washington must accept that “it has no military options,” or prepare for an “infinitely more painful outcome”.
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