US and Israel draft plans for possible Iran strikes after Congress elections: NYT

The New York Times, citing US officials, has revealed that the American military has prepared plans for new strikes on Iran, potentially in coordination with Israel, as President Donald Trump's administration considers resuming large-scale military operations in the coming weeks.

According to the report, the Pentagon, under Trump's direction, has drawn up plans for an intensive military campaign lasting around three days. The operation would target Iran's missile and drone arsenals, as well as energy facilities and other military sites, including command centers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The report added that senior US national security officials discussed military options during a meeting at Camp David last week. However, Trump has not yet made a final decision on resuming the attacks.

The newspaper noted that in recent months, Trump has rejected five previous proposals for large-scale military operations against Iran or the Houthis in Yemen, before requesting new options to resume fighting.

Regarding military preparations, reports indicate that three US aircraft carriers will soon be deployed to the Middle East, marking a significant military buildup as new plans are being developed, according to صحيفة "تايمز أوف إسرائيل".

Despite these preparations, Trump has stated he will not order strikes on Iran before the midterm elections scheduled for November 3, noting that there have been what he described as "productive" talks with Tehran. The Iranian nuclear program remains a major sticking point in negotiations, with Washington seeking an agreement first, while Tehran insists on discussing it at a later stage.

The reports stressed that preparing military options does not mean a final decision has been made to resume hostilities, as diplomatic efforts continue and Trump remains hesitant about returning to large-scale military operations.