US, Israel Draft Short Iran Strike Plan After Nov. 3 Vote as 3rd Carrier Nears
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Oct 22
US, Israel Draft Short Iran Strike Plan After Nov. 3 Vote as 3rd Carrier Nears
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Oct 22
Summary
Senior US officials told the New York Times that Washington and Israel have developed specific plans for a short, intensive operation against Iran after the US and Israeli elections.
Targets would include nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and missile and drone arsenals, with the aim of forcing diplomatic concessions after talks to end the war stalled.
Two US carrier strike groups are already in the Arabian Sea and a third is due by late November, while Trump has publicly weighed hitting Pickaxe Mountain and other Iranian targets.
Iranian officials say they are preparing retaliatory strikes on US bases and Gulf energy facilities, rebuilding missile and drone capacity and tightening internal security against unrest.
Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz are nearing prewar levels under US naval escorts, weakening Tehran's leverage even as high energy prices continue to hurt Trump's Republicans.
With Iran's new nuclear site buried beyond bomb reach, is a conventional military strike already obsolete?
Could targeting Iranian infrastructure trigger a global crisis by severing vital undersea internet cables and oil routes?
The 2026 Gulf War: U.S.-Iran Escalation, Energy Crisis, and Global Economic Fallout
Overview
The 2026 Gulf conflict began with a massive U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader and destroyed command centers. Iran quickly shifted to a decentralized 'mosaic defense,' launching waves of low-cost missiles and drones that forced the U.S. and allies to use up expensive interceptors, straining their stockpiles. Iranian attacks on Saudi oil pipelines and Kuwaiti refineries caused global oil prices to surge, leading to energy shortages and inflation worldwide. This economic pain drove down U.S. presidential approval ratings ahead of the midterm elections, while emergency oil releases only provided temporary relief. Diplomatic efforts to end the war stalled over nuclear demands, leaving the region in crisis.