IDF Prepares for Iran Conflict Resumption Amid Trump Uncertainty

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are currently preparing for the possibility of renewed conflict with Iran, despite increasing pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid further escalation following the Republican Party's midterm election losses. An Israeli official familiar with the matter told Ynet on Thursday that "there is no way to predict Trump's behavior." Reports from the end of last week indicated that the IDF had completed its preparations for another campaign against Iran, with the decision to resume fighting resting with Trump. Following the U.S. elections, pressure is mounting on the President to refrain from further attacks. A senior Israeli official estimated that the pressure on Trump not to act has intensified due to the election results but cautioned against attempting to predict his decision, stating, "Predicting his mood is a dangerous occupation."

Another senior official explained that within the Republican Party, some are linking the election losses to the war in Iran and Netanyahu's involvement, though they struggle to gauge the President's reaction. Additional Israeli sources pointed to efforts by Vice President Jay D. Vance and Envoy Steve Witkoff to prevent further conflict. Sources close to Trump reveal internal disagreements regarding the resumption of attacks, with some advisors pushing for escalation and others seeking an end to the campaign. "Trump could ignore them and attack even to show he is strong and doesn't care about the midterm election results," one source said, noting that the President has a window until the new Congress is sworn in on January 3, but a military action decision is possible even after that.

The backdrop to these developments includes sharp criticism of the war in Iran by Vance, who posted on X that the war was a primary cause of the Republican losses. He claimed that a pollster he spoke with identified a demand among former Trump voters for an end to the war, attention to the cost of living, and a change in relations with Israel. Trump himself acknowledged that the war and rising fuel prices hurt Republicans but stated he would not change his decision to launch the campaign, saying, "If I had to make the decision again, I would have to do the same thing," emphasizing that Iran must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

According to a Reuters report, the possibility of resuming attacks is still being considered in Washington. Last week, Trump received a briefing from Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command, on his military options. U.S. intelligence assessments presented in recent months suggest that further attacks are unlikely to significantly alter Iran's negotiating stance or lead to the regime's downfall. Nevertheless, individuals involved in the discussions believe Trump may still order a resumption of attacks. One estimated that the President feels less politically constrained after the elections, while another claimed the decision to attack is already being formulated and was postponed until after the elections.