'New York Times': US and Israel plan new strikes on Iran

The US and Israeli militaries have developed specific plans to launch new strikes on Iran ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3, according to the New York Times, which cited US officials and other individuals briefed on deliberations regarding these plans.

As planning for a short but intense military operation advances, both the US and Israeli militaries have intensified their training in offensive maneuvers. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss launching new strikes, according to the newspaper’s reporting based on US officials.

Officials believe that another broad round of attacks could push the Iranian economy to the brink of collapse and force the country to make diplomatic concessions after nearly eight months of conflict.

Meanwhile, the US Axios website reported, citing Israeli and US officials, that dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted an aerial sortie on Monday, coming within close proximity to the Iranian border.

The operation took place more than 800 miles from Israel, a week before the Israeli elections, and on the same day Hegseth met Netanyahu at the Ovda Air Base in Israel. The sortie was not linked to Hegseth’s visit.

While some Israeli and US officials stated that the aerial sortie was not unusual and aimed at deterring Iran, it could have led to miscalculation, potentially provoking an Iranian response and reigniting the war.