Israel has completed preparations for renewed fighting with Iran, Israeli paper reports; Araghchi says the choice rests with Washington

Israel’s military has finalised its defensive and offensive preparations for a possible resumption of war with Iran, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Saturday 31 October, citing unnamed political sources. It said the decision rests with US President Donald Trump while talks between Washington and Tehran continue.

The paper reported that the Israeli air force has more than once flown dozens of fighter jets and refuelling aircraft toward Iran’s borders to rehearse possible attack routes, and that 10 US military transport aircraft have landed at Israeli bases in recent days. It said US Central Command chief Brad Cooper presented Trump with options for resuming attacks, and that no decision had been made.

Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone on Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported, according to Ynet. The subject of the call was not disclosed. Trump has said the US may still need to deal with “one or two” Iranian sites, naming Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, while also saying negotiations were progressing, i24NEWS reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the parliament’s news outlet ICANA that a delegation in Doha was consulting Qatari mediators, not negotiating directly with the US, on a two-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “The process is moving forward, but we have not yet reached a definitive outcome,” he said. “Whether the Americans choose diplomacy or another path depends on their own rationality.”

Background: The US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February. A ceasefire was reached in April, and fighting between the US and Iran resumed in July. For Iran’s latest warnings, see our earlier report.