President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing a massive new military offensive against Iran, just weeks after blocking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from launching strikes that could have reignited the Middle East conflict ahead of the midterm elections.
American forces are already positioned to launch a sweeping assault on Iranian nuclear facilities, military installations and critical infrastructure within days of receiving authorization from Trump, according to CNN.
Two U.S. officials familiar with the preparations told the network that the Pentagon has assembled sufficient forces in the region to begin operations “within 96 hours of receiving” an order from the president.
The potential campaign would be considerably larger than the limited strikes carried out since Trump suspended full-scale combat operations earlier this year.
“It will be a big effort,” one official told CNN.
Although Trump has not made a final decision, officials reportedly believe the president is leaning toward renewed military action, most likely after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The preparations follow reports that Trump personally refused to authorize an Israeli attack on Iran earlier this month, effectively putting the brakes on Netanyahu’s efforts to resume major hostilities.
According to the Financial Times, Israeli forces were prepared to launch a substantial offensive around Oct. 10 targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, government installations and energy infrastructure.
The proposed operation would reportedly have been more destructive than the strikes carried out by American and Israeli forces in February.
Trump, however, opposed restarting the war before Americans headed to the polls.
CNN separately reported that Netanyahu had been lobbying Washington to support a joint military operation ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 election, but Trump declined to approve the proposal.
An Israeli security source told the network that Netanyahu pushed unsuccessfully for an immediate attack. The Israeli prime minister’s office disputed the account, calling it “fake news.”
Senior American officials reportedly instructed Israel to hold off on additional strikes until Washington was prepared to participate in a coordinated offensive.
One factor in Trump’s decision was reportedly a warning from Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who cautioned his American counterpart that renewed fighting could force Israel to postpone its national election.
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Israeli officials were also concerned about the country’s ability to withstand another wave of Iranian missile attacks without substantial American assistance.
Netanyahu has denied reports that Trump blocked an Israeli military operation earlier this month.
The president, meanwhile, has continued publicly weighing another attack against the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement with Tehran.
Trump told reporters Saturday that “there’s a possibility” he would order additional strikes against Iran.
“There’s also a possibility we’ll have a nice big beautiful agreement,” he added.
The military maneuvering comes as Trump has publicly embraced Netanyahu’s reelection campaign, urging Israeli voters to give the longtime prime minister another term so he can “finish the job” in Iran.
“When you go to the Polls please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding warrior prime minister!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Israel was called the little satan, with the United States being called the big satan, by some very evil people,” he added.
“There can no longer be the chant heard around the world of ‘Death to America, death to Israel,’ and there won’t be.”
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Israelis will head to the polls Tuesday for their first national election since Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, with Netanyahu’s handling of the subsequent wars dominating the political landscape.
The renewed possibility of an American offensive comes amid mounting intelligence warnings that Iran is preparing attacks against U.S. personnel abroad.
An unclassified memorandum dated Oct. 23 warned that Tehran had “substantially increased efforts to target US personnel” as tensions between the two countries intensified.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton reportedly sent the warning to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing information obtained “through various channels.”
“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” Clayton wrote in the one-page document, first reported by Axios.
A U.S. official subsequently confirmed the memorandum to the Daily Mail.
Washington has already taken precautions at several diplomatic facilities across the Middle East, adjusting staffing at American embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The State Department also ordered nonemergency government personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia on Wednesday amid growing security concerns.
The escalating confrontation follows months of fighting that began with the massive joint American-Israeli military campaign against Iran in February.
Although major combat operations were subsequently suspended, the conflict has remained unresolved, with Tehran’s nuclear program, regional military activities and control of shipping routes continuing to complicate diplomatic negotiations.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a particularly sensitive flashpoint. The narrow waterway is one of the world’s most important oil shipping corridors, and further military escalation could threaten energy supplies and international commerce.
Any renewed assault on Iranian energy facilities would also risk triggering retaliation against American installations, Israeli cities and other regional targets.
For now, Trump appears determined to control the timing of any additional military campaign, having reportedly rejected Netanyahu’s push for an immediate offensive while keeping the option of a much larger American-led operation on the table after Election Day.
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
