Trump warns Gulf allies to prepare for fresh blitz on Iran after midterm elections: report
WASHINGTON — The US has warned Gulf Arab countries to brace for a brief, intense spate of attacks on Iran following next week’s midterm elections. The heads-up to “several” nations in the regions comes as American forces are stocking up on munitions and preparing bombers and fighter jets for fresh strikes in hopes of pushing Tehran back toward negotiations, sources told the Wall Street Journal . The US military is also shipping an additional Patriot system to Israel to bolster the Jewish state’s missile defenses, the outlet reported, citing flight-tracking data and two officials with knowledge of the shipment. 4 An F-35C Lightning II prepares to off from USS George Washington.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The Post presents the planned campaign as a brief, intense spate of attacks and never reports Iran's stated response. Iran has vowed to answer any attack with strikes on economic and civilian targets across the region, which the Gulf states being warned would face. Without this, a reader believes the strikes would be short and one-way.
How we know
- Daily Mail reported“Tehran has vowed through public and private channels to answer any attack with strikes on economic and civilian targets across the”Trump sends secret diplomatic message to allies as thousands of American troops prepare for fresh blitz on Iran (opens in a new tab)
- Antiwar.com reported“Iranian officials have warned that they will significantly escalate retaliatory strikes across the region in the face of any renewed US or Israeli attacks”Report: US Sending an Additional Patriot System to Israel To Prepare for Potential Attacks on Iran (opens in a new tab)
US Central Command President Trump has publicly said that he may renew attacks on Iran following the election. “We may do another little Epic Fury,” he said at a Friday rally in Fort Myers, Fla. “Or they’ll agree. If they’re smart, they’ll just say, let’s get down to business. But, you know, I doubt they’ll do that because perhaps they’re not smart.” Explore More Ex-FBI official weeps as she appears in court to face charges of lying to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop Disturbing family details emerge about mom arrested for leaving 4 kids home alone during Vegas jaunt United passenger who forced Newark-bound flight to return to Vegas over ‘hijacking threat’ has boozy explanation Trump and his envoys have struggled for months to revive negotiations after a preliminary peace deal collapsed in July when Tehran resumed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
It’s unclear whether Trump actually has decided to renew strikes, sources told The Post, noting that the president has repeatedly used public deception and threats for strategic purposes. Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner engaged Iranian leaders in Qatar-mediated negotiations on the sidelines of last month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, but no major progress has been reported. The direction of the conflict, which Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched on Feb. 28, is tied in part to the outcome of elections in both the US and Israel. 4 An aerial view shows a campaign billboard depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud party and Donald Trump in Tel Aviv, Monday, October 26, 2026.
AFP via Getty Images Netanyahu’s coalition leads in incomplete results from Tuesday’s Israeli vote, but the lack of a clear winner means weeks-long negotiations to form a government are in prospect. If Republicans lose the Nov. 3 congressional elections, meanwhile, Trump will face greater pressure to end the conflict quickly, either with a deal or a possible final blitz that allows him to declare victory. The GOP-led House and Senate both voted this year to order Trump to end the war.
Bipartisan opposition in Congress could result in the impeachment of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth as soon as next month, followed by Democrat-approved spending restrictions tying Trump’s hands. 4 The USS George Washington aircraft carrier conducts flight operations in the Middle East. U.S. Navy 4 Flames burn at a facility belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco south of Riyadh, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. AFP via Getty Images Trump says his primary goal in the war is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
He has claimed that advanced space-based cameras will allow for long-term monitoring of bombed-out nuclear sites. The president has also said repeatedly that he expects the conflict to end shortly after the midterm elections.
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