US could resume strikes against Iran within three weeks: Axios
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The United States could resume major combat operations against Iran within the next three weeks, according to a report by Axios citing officials.
On Tuesday, the ‘Israeli’ military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir spoke with senior US officials who detailed the American military’s preparations for a possible return to large-scale strikes, per the report.
The sources said the window discussed was the coming three weeks.
Zamir warned that Iranian missile attacks on ‘Israel’ in response could force the postponement of ‘Israel’s’ elections set for Oct. 27.
The Pentagon had already instructed US Central Command several days earlier to complete preparations for resuming major combat operations, US officials confirmed according to Axios.
No specific launch date was ordered, and President Trump had not made a final decision at the time. If operations resume, sources said they would likely feature extensive airstrikes on Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure, and nuclear targets.
“The Department’s job is to develop and present military options to the President,” a Pentagon official told Axios.
A White House official added: “The U.S. is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing. Iran has been decimated, and things will go one of two ways: the easy way or the hard way.”
Resuming the fighting in the next three to four weeks carried clear political risks.
Higher oil prices could influence the US midterm elections on Nov. 3, while any Iranian retaliation might disrupt ‘Israel’s’ vote a week earlier.
An ‘Israeli’ official assessed the pre-election likelihood as limited but real: “The discussion about possible resumption of major combat operations in Iran has increased. The chances of it happening before the elections is not high but we don’t rule it out. After the midterms the chances of it happening increase significantly.”
On Thursday, Trump publicly closed the door on immediate action. “We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections,” he wrote on Truth Social, while affirming that the naval blockade remains in full force and that oil continues flowing through the Strait of Hormuz in record volumes. He said Washington and Tehran “are having productive discussions” and repeated that Iran “WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!”
US and ‘Israeli’ officials cautioned that Iranian leaders remain deeply suspicious of Trump’s statements and are determined to avoid another surprise attack.
No major narrowing of the core differences between the two sides has been reported, leaving military options available after the midterms even as diplomatic contacts continue.
