Pentagon prepares 3-day intensive Iran strike option as Trump says no attack before midterms: NYT

The Pentagon has drawn up plans for an intensive three-day military campaign against Iran, the New York Times reported on Thursday, even as President Donald Trump said Washington will not launch an attack before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The US military, acting on Trump's orders, has developed options to strike Iran's missile and drone arsenal, energy facilities and other military sites, The Times reported, citing US officials. Senior national security officials, led by Vice President JD Vance, discussed the plans at Camp David last Friday, with the options centering on a short, intensive campaign lasting about three days, according to people briefed on the proposal. The strikes would focus on Iran's missile and drone arsenal, much of which has been rebuilt by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since the early phase of the war, the newspaper said. Other potential targets include Iranian energy facilities as well as IRGC command posts and headquarters. Axios separately reported that the Pentagon ordered the US Central Command (CENTCOM) several days ago to complete preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations against Iran. The directive did not set a date for strikes and Trump had not made a final decision, Axios said, adding that any renewed major combat operations were expected to include large-scale bombing of Iranian energy, infrastructure and nuclear targets. The military preparations come as Trump said on Thursday that the US would not attack Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, while pointing to ongoing diplomatic efforts. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Washington and Tehran were having "productive discussions." The NYT also reported that Trump has repeatedly declined proposals in recent months to resume major combat operations against Iran, despite ordering the Pentagon to prepare new options. Three US aircraft carriers are expected to be in the Middle East in the coming weeks as part of the major military buildup, according to the newspaper.