US Military told to prepare for possible Iran strikes ahead of midterm elections: Report

The Pentagon has instructed the US Central Command to finalise preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations against Iran, although US President Donald Trump has not made a final decision on whether or when to launch strikes, according to a report citing US officials.

The reported preparations come less than a month before the US midterm elections on November 3. US and Israeli officials cited in the report said any renewed military action could potentially take place before the US elections and possibly ahead of Israeli elections expected a week earlier.

Potential operations could include extensive bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure and other strategic targets, according to the officials cited in the report.

The developments come amid concerns in the US over rising living costs and fuel prices. The war with Iran has contributed to higher energy prices, with increased fuel costs affecting sectors including shipping, trucking, aviation and food.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on October 5 showed Trump’s approval rating at 32 per cent, unchanged from the previous survey and at a record low in the polling series. The latest Reuters/Ipsos findings also identified the cost of living as a major concern for voters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Meanwhile, Iranian Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia has said Tehran could undertake pre-emptive military operations if necessary to prevent what it considers aggression by an adversary.

In an interview with semi-official Fars news agency published Wednesday, Akraminia said Iran had shifted its military doctrine from a defensive posture to an offensive one and had applied the approach during its conflict with the US and Israel.

He cited a missile strike on a US base in Jordan in late July, as well as missile and drone attacks against what he described as “counter-revolutionary and separatist” groups based in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

Akraminia said pre-emptive operations could be considered legitimate when carried out according to principles including necessity, urgency and proportionality.

Asked about the possibility of a US ground invasion of Iran, he said he believed the US would not launch such an operation.

He also said Iran’s Army had decided to increase the range of its missiles following the conflict with the US and Israel.

The reported US military preparations come as Washington and Tehran continue to signal sharply different positions over the possibility of renewed hostilities, with military planning on the US side not amounting to a confirmed decision to launch a new campaign.