Thursday 22 Oct 2026
US and Israel draft plans for renewed post-election strikes against Iran. (Photo/Reuters)
The United States and Israeli militaries have developed specific plans for renewed strikes against Iran following the American midterm elections, with preparations advancing for a potential short but intensive offensive, The New York Times reported.
Citing US officials and individuals briefed on high-level deliberations, the report noted that both armed forces have intensified military exercises, conducting flights across Iraqi airspace to practise strike manoeuvres.
Potential targets include Iranian energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenals.
Some officials argue that an additional major round of attacks could push Iran's economy over the brink and compel Tehran to make diplomatic concessions after nearly eight months of conflict.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel during an unannounced visit.
Plans to target Iran's nuclear programme could encompass Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried facility known locally as Kooh Kolang.
US President Donald Trump stated last week that he was considering deploying a 9,979-kilogramme GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB, against the site.
However, weapons specialists warned that the munition detonates above ground and would fail to penetrate deep granite fortifications, while military officials cautioned that the slow-flying MC-130 transport aircraft required to deliver it would remain highly vulnerable to Iranian anti-aircraft fire.
November gamble
According to the newspaper, it remains far from certain that Trump will authorise fresh strikes, having repeatedly vetoed proposals to resume major combat operations this year.
Both militaries were prepared to strike earlier this month before Trump aborted the operation at the last moment, causing what one commander described as "day-to-day whiplash" among operational planners.
Officials said any campaign is unlikely to begin before the November midterms, aligning with Trump's pledge not to attack while discussions continue.
Moreover, the full complement of American military assets—encompassing three aircraft carriers, thousands of Marines, fighter squadrons, and Special Operations forces—will not be fully assembled until early November, when lengthening hours of darkness over Iran provide optimal tactical cover.
Diplomatic efforts remain active, with US negotiators leveraging the threat of renewed conflict to demand concessions on Tehran's nuclear development and maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Conversely, some planners believe an air campaign would decisively alter Iran's stance, though previous bombardments between February and April depleted missile interceptor stockpiles, fuelled global inflation, and failed to force concessions.
Tehran's counter-punch
Political dynamics in Israel could further influence operational decisions ahead of its October 27 election.
While a defeat would leave Netanyahu as a caretaker prime minister facing severe constraints, analysts suggest he could use the prospect of imminent war to press political rivals into an emergency unity government.
Regional risks escalated further on Wednesday as the US State Department ordered non-emergency personnel and families to evacuate Saudi Arabia amid ongoing strikes by Iran-backed Houthi forces.
A White House official declined to comment on military plans "that may or may not exist," maintaining that Trump preserves all options to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear arms.
Iranian officials, operating under Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that fighting would be neither swift nor contained.
Tehran has vowed to retaliate by targeting regional data centres, undersea internet cables, and Saudi Arabian oil refineries, including Aramco facilities, to spike global energy prices.
Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iranian negotiator General Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that Iranian counterstrikes will be "more fierce, creative and different."
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Source: TRT
