Iran strike plans advance as US builds up three carriers

US and Israeli forces have drawn up Iran strike plans for after the US midterm elections on November 3, according to a newspaper report on Wednesday.

Its sources were US officials and people briefed on the talks. They described a campaign that would be brief yet intensive.

It stressed that Trump has not approved anything. He has called off major combat several times this year, the paper noted.

What the Iran strike plans cover

Possible targets include Iran’s nuclear sites, its missile and drone stocks and its energy infrastructure. One option involves Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried site.

Some US planners believe three days of strikes could do enough economic damage to shift Tehran’s position. The US buildup, including three aircraft carriers, should finish by early November.

Both armed forces have expanded drills, among them flights over Iraq that rehearse strike moves. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to go over new strikes, and the Iran strike plans were on the table.

One report said Trump is wary of hitting the oil sector, since that could push fuel prices up sharply. Another mentioned talk of the huge GBU-43/B bomb, but experts warned it would not work against deep granite fortifications.

Trump’s position and the White House line

Trump said earlier this month that Washington would hold off on Iran until after the midterms, since both sides were holding “productive discussions.” A White House official told the paper that the administration will not comment on plans “that may or may not exist.”

The official added that Trump keeps all options open to make sure Iran cannot get nuclear weapons.

Another report said that, earlier this month, Netanyahu told the army to get ready for an offensive lasting several days. It would hit nuclear and government sites, along with power plants. The start date was October 10, but Trump objected to restarting the war before the midterms, and Israel cancelled it.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu said at a military graduation that the only way to remove the threat is to “overthrow the regime in Iran.” He said he gave that directive to the army, the Mossad and the security agencies.

Iran answers, Pakistan mediates

Iran says it knows about the planning. Mahdi Mohammadi advises Iran’s chief negotiator, and he promised attacks that are “more fierce, creative and different.” In his words, the notion of a 72-hour US campaign is fantasy.

Iranian officials say the target list now goes past ships and energy sites. Data centers and cables under the sea are on it as well. Iran has vowed to hit Gulf energy sites in return.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is mediating to bridge the gap between Washington and Tehran. Army chief Asim Munir visited Tehran, yet Iran’s leaders held firm.

Mohsen Rezaei, who is secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said no enriched uranium would leave Iran. Confidence-building steps must come before direct talks, he added.

A memorandum signed in June after Pakistani and Qatari mediation has stalled over disagreements, including navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

For now, the Iran strike plans remain contingency work, and the outcome depends on whether Trump approves them after the vote.