US, Israel plan ‘short but intensive’ strikes on Iran after mid-term elections; will Trump approve?

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss new strikes, US officials were quoted as saying.

The US and Israeli militaries developed specific plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the November midterm elections, US officials and other people briefed on the deliberations told the New York Times.

The mid-term election in the US, to be held on November 3, will decide the Republicans' fate in the US Congress - House and Senate.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss new strikes, US officials were quoted as saying.

The reported upcoming operation against Iran is likely to be "short but intensive," the NYT said. It claimed that the US and Israeli militaries stepped up exercises, flying planes over Iraq to practice strike maneuvers.

What do the US and Israel plan to target this time?

According to the report, the targets of the new US and Israeli strikes would likely include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenal.

Some officials told NYT that one more big round of attacks could push Iran’s economy over the brink and force the country to make diplomatic concessions after nearly eight months of conflict.

'Renewed hostilities might not be any more successful'

The NYT report, however, noted that renewed hostilities might not be any more successful than the war’s first phase.

"Still, there are reasons to be skeptical that a renewed war would be any more successful than the first phase of intense US-Israeli strikes between February and April," the report added.

It said those rounds of fighting drove up energy prices and inflation around the world, eroded security in the Middle East and severely strained the Pentagon’s supply of missile interceptors.

Will Trump approve new strikes?

It is also far from certain that President Trump will approve fresh strikes, the NYT reported.

Repeatedly, this year, he has vetoed plans for a return to major combat operations, including this month when the US and Israeli militaries were nearly ready to attack," the reported added.

Iran readies harder retaliation

Iran is preparing a broader and more forceful response if the United States resumes large-scale military attacks, sources told Reuters in early October.

The planning reflects a conviction within Iran's leadership that any renewed US campaign must be met with a stronger response than before, even as Tehran seeks to avert escalation through talks.

Sources said that senior Iranian commanders are reviewing plans to expand potential targets beyond US-linked assets to countries that support US military operations and possibly to locations outside the Middle East.

Tehran is also weighing the political risks for Trump of a prolonged conflict. Polls show the war has been unpopular with Americans, while higher fuel prices remain a concern ahead of the midterm elections.

The conflict between Iran, the US and Israel began with US-Israeli attacks on February 28. Although an April 8 ceasefire ended the 40-day war, hostilities have continued sporadically since then.

While the US is assembling a massive arsenal that will be fully in place by early November, diplomatic efforts have continued.

US negotiators use the potential return to war as leverage with Iran to make progress on their demands on its nuclear program and control over the Strait of Hormuz, NYT reported.

So far, however, Iran’s negotiators have been unwilling to make concessions on the nuclear program, insisting on deferring that issue until later in the talks.