The US and Israeli militaries have drawn up specific plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the American midterm elections.
Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran is again trying to build nuclear weapons. He said he has directed Israel’s military and intelligence agencies to work toward toppling the regime.
What US, Israel Are Planning
The two militaries have stepped up exercises, including flying planes over Iraq to practise strike manoeuvres, the New York Times said. US officials told the paper that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss new strikes.
The likely targets are Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenal. Some officials say refineries would be spared to avoid higher fuel prices.
Planning also covers Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried nuclear site that Iran calls Kooh Kolang. According to the report, the two countries came close to striking early this month, but US President Donald Trump postponed the attack at the last minute.
Why The Timing Matters
Officials say Trump is likely to wait until after the US vote, partly because of his own promise not to strike before it. The full US force, including three aircraft carriers, will not be in place until early November.
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Israel’s election on October 27 could also complicate matters. If Netanyahu loses, he would become a caretaker prime minister, which experts say would make it hard for him to launch a war.
Netanyahu Calls For Regime Change
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for IDF officers at the Bahad 1 training base, Netanyahu accused Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, of renewing the country’s nuclear ambitions.
“Mojtaba has pulled the pin, and Iran is once again trying to develop its weapons of death,” he said, according to Ynet.
He said the only way to end the threat is to topple the regime, and called this his directive to the IDF, the Mossad and the security agencies. He also claimed Trump shares this view and had told him the US is ready to finish the job, but only with Israel.
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The speech was not aired live. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara barred a live broadcast over concerns that it could amount to illegal election campaigning, Ynet said.
Katz Warns Tehran
Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had identified attempts by Iran and its proxies to carry out attacks meant to influence the election result. His message to Tehran was blunt: “If Iran attacks Israel, Iran will burn.”
Iran Vows Retaliation
Iranian officials have promised to widen their targets to include data centres and undersea internet cables. They say the fighting will be neither quick nor limited.