Pentagon prepares Iran strike plans as Trump weighs options before midterm elections: Report

The Pentagon has instructed US Central Command to finalise preparations for a potential resumption of major combat operations against Iran, signaling a significant military escalation as major elections loom in both nations.

US President Donald Trump pushed back against negotiations with Tehran on October 6, declaring at a San Antonio campaign rally that he is no longer interested in striking a deal, even as the military prepares options for potential strikes before the upcoming midterm elections.

Addressing supporters in Texas, Trump claimed Tehran is desperate to avoid a broader conflict, while acknowledging that diplomatic efforts led by his administration had been making progress.

“I think the deal isn’t really something that I want to do, but they’re willing to offer us anything to stop,” Trump said during the late-night rally alongside Republican candidates. He added that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, has been leading the diplomatic efforts and “doing very well.”

While the directive carries no specific launch date and President Donald Trump has yet to make a final call, US and Israeli sources indicate that strikes could occur prior to the US midterm elections, as well as the Israeli elections scheduled a week earlier, as reported by Axios. Any resumed campaign is expected to target Iranian energy, infrastructure, and nuclear sites with heavy bombardment.

Deliberations intensified during a multi-hour session at Camp David involving Trump's top national security advisers. An Israeli official confirmed to Axios that part of the meeting focused on restarting major operations in Iran, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly framed the gathering as a routine review of "long-term" foreign policy planning.

The military preparations unfold against a backdrop of stalled diplomacy. Qatari mediators remain waiting on Tehran to respond to a US counterproposal demanding nuclear concessions.

"The discussion about possible resumption of major combat operations in Iran has increased," a second Israeli official told Axios. "The chances of it happening before the elections is not high but we don't rule it out. After the midterms the chances of it happening increase significantly."

Planners in Washington and Jerusalem are also monitoring potential preemptive moves by Tehran. Having already endured two surprise attacks, Iranian leadership is increasingly paranoid and desperate, raising fears that Iran might choose to strike first.

At the same time, diplomatic coordination between the two allies has ramped up. Trump spoke On October 6 with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — their second conversation in days following weeks of minimal communication. The call came immediately after Netanyahu met with his national security team regarding Iran, and followed a Monday discussion between Netanyahu and Rubio. Officially, a US official said the leaders discussed "remembrance and respect for the victims of the October 7 massacre."

Should combat operations resume, the US and Israeli militaries are expected to act in tandem, with direct participation from Israeli forces. "The Department's job is to develop and present military options to the President," a Pentagon official told Axios.

A White House official underscored that Trump retains total flexibility over the timeline and scope of any action. "The US is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing. Iran has been decimated, and things will go one of two ways: the easy way or the hard way," the official said.

Oil prices climbed on October 8 as escalating West Asia tensions continued to rattle global energy markets following reports that the US is considering large-scale military operations in Iran over the coming weeks. International benchmark Brent crude futures for December delivery surged 1.36% to $101.54 a barrel. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate futures for November delivery advanced 1.04% to trade at $89.32 per barrel.