U.S., Israel Draft Post-Midterms Iran Strike Plans After 8 Months of Conflict
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 21
U.S., Israel Draft Post-Midterms Iran Strike Plans After 8 Months of Conflict
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 21
Summary
U.S. and Israeli militaries have drawn up specific plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the U.S. midterm elections, according to officials briefed on the deliberations.
A short, intensive operation is being prepared through stepped-up exercises, including flights over Iraq to rehearse strike maneuvers, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed possible new attacks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week.
Likely targets include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenal, with some officials arguing another major round could tip Iran’s economy into deeper crisis and force diplomatic concessions.
Trump has repeatedly blocked a return to major combat this year, including this month when U.S. and Israeli forces were nearly ready to attack, underscoring that approval for fresh strikes is still uncertain.
The planning follows February-to-April U.S.-Israeli strikes that lifted global energy prices, fed inflation, weakened regional security and strained Pentagon interceptor supplies, raising doubts about whether a new campaign would work better.
With Iran's new nuclear site buried beyond bomb reach, is a conventional military strike already obsolete?
Could targeting Iranian infrastructure trigger a global crisis by severing vital undersea internet cables and oil routes?
The 2026 Gulf War: U.S.-Iran Escalation, Energy Crisis, and Global Economic Fallout
Overview
The 2026 Gulf conflict began with a massive U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader and destroyed command centers. Iran quickly shifted to a decentralized 'mosaic defense,' launching waves of low-cost missiles and drones that forced the U.S. and allies to use up expensive interceptors, straining their stockpiles. Iranian attacks on Saudi oil pipelines and Kuwaiti refineries caused global oil prices to surge, leading to energy shortages and inflation worldwide. This economic pain drove down U.S. presidential approval ratings ahead of the midterm elections, while emergency oil releases only provided temporary relief. Diplomatic efforts to end the war stalled over nuclear demands, leaving the region in crisis.