Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly intended to initiate new military strikes against Iran earlier this month, focusing on nuclear facilities, regime-affiliated sites, and civilian infrastructure. According to a report by the Financial Times, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) were reportedly ready to execute the operation during the weekend of October 10. The planned strikes were expected to be more severe than the joint US-Israeli attacks conducted in February.

However, US President Donald Trump reportedly opposed the resumption of hostilities prior to the American midterm elections, which are scheduled for November 3. Sources familiar with the situation indicated that it remains uncertain whether the United States would have participated directly in the proposed military action.

The report further indicated that Israel had compiled a new list of potential targets within Iran, which included civilian infrastructure not previously targeted. Among these were energy plants alongside nuclear facilities and regime-related locations.

Political Context and Implications

One source suggested that the proposed military strikes could have served as a negotiating tactic, emphasising that the ultimate decision to resume hostilities lay with Trump. The Pentagon did not provide any comments regarding the report, leaving some questions unanswered about US involvement.

Despite the reported decision to halt the operation planned for October, analysts consider a resumption of fighting in the near future to be a plausible scenario. This suggests that the possibility of renewed military action remains viable, even after Trump’s reported opposition to the strikes.

Trump stated that the US would not engage in any attacks against Iran before the midterm elections. His comments followed a report indicating that IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir had warned his American counterparts that a new attack could delay Israel’s elections, which are set for October 27.

Israeli officials have reportedly assessed that Iran would retaliate to an American strike with a significant missile barrage aimed at Israel, potentially escalating tensions between the two nations. However, the Financial Times did not clarify whether the US was expected to join the proposed Israeli operation or if American forces would be involved in any future strikes.

Ongoing Concerns Over Iran’s Nuclear Programme

Multiple reports have indicated that Netanyahu has been urging Washington to renew military action against Iran. Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported last week that Netanyahu had pressed Trump to resume military operations before the upcoming elections in Israel and the US midterms.

This push for renewed strikes occurs amid ongoing apprehensions regarding Iran’s nuclear programme and the potential for another military confrontation. However, the reports do not provide independent verification of the specific intelligence assessments that informed the proposed targets or whether a final decision was made to launch the operation.

There is also the possibility that the preparations for the strikes were partly intended to exert pressure on Tehran during ongoing negotiations. The report surfaced shortly after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly made a discreet visit to Israel, where he met with Netanyahu to discuss regional threats.

While the meeting took place amid renewed Israeli efforts to persuade Washington to consider further military action against Iran, the reported visit does not confirm that both sides reached an agreement on a new operation or that the US committed to participating in any future strikes. The Pentagon’s lack of commentary on the proposed October operation raises further questions regarding the extent of US involvement in the planning and the potential role of American forces should hostilities resume.

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