US and Israel Develop Plans for Possible Iran Strikes

The United States and Israel have developed plans for possible renewed strikes against Iran after the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, but President Donald Trump has not authorized a new campaign, according to reporting based on officials and people briefed on military planning. The reported plans describe a short, intensive operation that could target Iranian nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and missile and drone arsenals. U.S. and Israeli forces have stepped up exercises, including flights over Iraq to rehearse strike maneuvers. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss possible operations, officials said. Some U.S. planners believe a concentrated campaign lasting three days could inflict enough economic damage to push Tehran toward diplomatic concessions. That is a forecast, not an established outcome. Earlier U.S.-Israeli strikes between February and April drove up energy prices, contributed to inflation, increased regional insecurity and strained U.S. supplies of missile interceptors, while Iran has resisted concessions on its nuclear program. A separate account of Israeli preparations for...