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The Pentagon has drawn up plans for a three-day military campaign targeting Iran’s missile and drone arsenals, energy facilities and military command centres, The New York Times reported.
The plans emerged as US President Donald Trump repeatedly rejected proposals to resume large-scale military operations, citing progress in diplomatic discussions with Tehran.
On Thursday, Trump said the United States would not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm congressional elections, claiming that the two countries were engaged in “productive discussions” to end the six-month-old war.
“We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The conflict began in February with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and has become a political liability for Trump and his Republican allies ahead of the elections, in which they are seeking to retain narrow majorities in Congress.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that around 60 per cent of Americans, including one in four Republicans, disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict.
The war has also contributed to a sharp rise in fuel prices, while the cost of living remains a major concern for voters.
Trump has repeatedly expressed hope that oil prices will fall after the elections but has yet to outline a detailed strategy for ending US involvement in the conflict.
The Pentagon’s preparations indicate that military options remain under consideration despite Trump’s latest public assurance that no attack will take place before the midterm elections.
