The Media Line: President Trump Rules Out Iran Strike Before Midterms Despite Reports of Military Plans  

President Trump Rules Out Iran Strike Before Midterms Despite Reports of Military Plans  

By The Media Line Staff  

President Donald Trump said the US would not strike Iran before the November midterm elections, despite reports that the Pentagon has been instructed to prepare plans for a potential attack.  

He also said the US and Iran were engaged in discussions about ending the conflict.  

“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd.”  

The New York Times reported, however, that the president had ordered the Pentagon to develop options for renewed military action against Iran. The possible targets include Iran’s missile and drone arsenal, energy facilities and other military sites.  

US security officials have proposed major operations against Iran or its proxy, the Houthis in Yemen, on five occasions in recent months, according to the newspaper. Trump rejected the proposals each time.  

President Trump is now considering another military option that was discussed last Friday at Camp David, The New York Times reported, citing people briefed on the proposal. The plan centers on “a short, intense campaign lasting about three days.”  

The Truth Social post also conflicts with a Channel 12 report that senior US officers told Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir earlier this week that the White House and Pentagon had instructed them to prepare for a massive attack on Iran within three weeks. That timeframe ends shortly before the midterms.  

Israel has raised its level of alertness and is preparing for several scenarios that could lead to another military confrontation in the near future. Defense officials are also preparing for the possibility that Iran could initiate an attack, requiring Israel to respond defensively.  

Zamir told his American counterparts that such an attack could cause Israel’s general election, scheduled for October 27, to be postponed, according to N12, which cited a senior US official and another official.