President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke last week about the possibility of restarting attacks on Iran. 

Axios reported, citing four people familiar with the conversation, including US and Israeli officials, that Trump and Netanyahu discussed potential new attacks on Iran last week. Some of the officials said that Trump and Netanyahu discussed the possibility of resuming strikes on Iran before the Israeli and US elections, set for October 27 and November 3. 

However, one White House official speaking with the outlet said it was “false” that the US could attack Iran before the midterm elections. “The President has said that we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections,” they told the outlet. 

A different US official described Trump’s position as less definitive. “Bibi seems to want to go in again. He has talked to the president about it a couple times, and the president has said, ‘Well, you know, Bibi, go ahead and get ready.’ But there’s really no commitment. ‘Go ahead and get ready’ is maybe now, maybe later, maybe never,” the official explained. 

Last week, Trump said the US would not attack Iran until after the midterm elections next month. “I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, with Oil flowing in Record Numbers of Barrels through the Hormuz Strait (22 Million Barrels, last night alone, with not one barrel coming from, or going to, Iran!), we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd,” the President wrote on Truth Social Thursday. 

The discussions come as Iran is escalating attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters on Wednesday that Tehran had adopted a new strategy aimed at frustrating US efforts to bring down global oil prices.