The US and Israel have developed detailed plans for a potential escalation of the war against Iran following the November 3 midterm elections, The New York Times reported, citing officials and other sources familiar with the matter.
According to The New York Times, Washington and Tel Aviv are preparing for a “short but intensive operation.” The sources said likely targets include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenal. Officials explained that Trump would likely avoid targeting Iranian oil refineries to prevent oil prices from climbing higher.
The New York Times notes that it is possible that Trump will not authorize strikes on Iran after the midterm elections.
It’s possible that the target list could include civilian infrastructure. President Donald Trump has threatened to blow up Iranian power plants and bridges on several occasions. Some officials told the outlet they believe three days of strikes could collapse Iran’s economy and force Tehran to make concessions to Trump.
However, the White House has repeatedly anticipated that devastating military strikes would force Tehran to make concessions, but the Islamic Republic has so far refused to accept Washington’s demands. Tehran has threatened to retaliate against any US strikes by expanding the war.
The plans also appear to involve direct Israeli strikes on Iran. The outlet notes that Israeli warplanes have engaged in training operations over Iraq. While Israel took part in the initial surprise attack on Iran and participated in the war for several months, Israel has largely remained on the sidelines of the conflict since June. Since then, Israel has focused its military efforts against Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza.
