US and Israel Plan Retaliatory Strikes on Iran Post-Midterms

The United States and Israel have developed specific plans for renewed strikes against Iran, to be potentially carried out after the US midterm elections, according to American officials cited by The New York Times. President Donald Trump stated in an interview with NewsNation that the US is "not negotiating with Iran" and added, "Something will happen in the very near future." He also commented on the ongoing conflict with Iran, noting that the US is "doing very well against Iran, both militarily and economically." Meanwhile, US officials informed NBC that American diplomats and soldiers are being secretly evacuated from Jordan, Qatar, and Kuwait due to concerns about escalation with Iran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a recent officer graduation ceremony, stating that the "Iranian regime has still not learned its lesson." He accused "Mujtaba Khamenei, the current tyrant," of initiating Iran's renewed efforts to develop "death bombs." Netanyahu asserted that the only way to permanently remove this threat is to "overthrow the regime in Iran," issuing this directive to the IDF, Mossad, and security forces.

Defense Minister Israel Katz also spoke, highlighting recent attempts by adversaries, primarily Iran and its proxies, to carry out attacks that could influence election outcomes. He described the Iranian regime as being at its weakest point, suggesting this vulnerability could lead to extreme actions. Katz warned that if Iran attacks Israel, "Iran will burn," and stated that Israel will not retreat from its security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, adding that Hezbollah would face severe consequences if it joined Iran in an attack.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Israel had planned an attack on Iran on October 10, but was reportedly halted by President Trump. The alleged plan involved a multi-day operation targeting nuclear facilities, government sites, and civilian infrastructure like power plants.