Netanyahu had military plan major Iran offensive for 10 October but Trump opposed it before midterms, FT reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to prepare a multi-day bombing campaign against Iran for the weekend of 10 October, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday 21 October, citing three people familiar with the plans. The operation did not go ahead because President Donald Trump opposed restarting the conflict before the US midterm elections on 3 November, the sources told the newspaper, according to The Times of Israel and Ynet.

The planned targets included nuclear facilities, sites linked to Iran’s government and civilian infrastructure such as power plants, and the strikes were to be more intense than the joint US-Israeli campaign launched in February, the FT reported. Israeli officials have since given US counterparts an updated target list that includes civilian infrastructure not hit before, one source said. It was unclear whether the US would have taken part.

One person told the FT that renewed strikes in the coming weeks were “not an unreasonable scenario”, and another said the preparations may also have been meant to add pressure on Tehran in negotiations, with the final decision resting with Trump. Deputy White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the FT that Iran was in poor economic and military condition and ruled out US strikes before the midterms, Ynet and Israel Hayom reported. The Pentagon did not comment, The Times of Israel said.

Background: The war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Trump said on 9 October that the US would not attack Iran before the midterms. Israel holds a general election on 27 October, and the army has cancelled soldiers’ leave until election day, Israel Hayom reported. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Netanyahu in Israel this week (our report).

See also: Netanyahu says toppling Iran’s government is Israel’s “primary objective”.