The United States has told several Gulf Arab governments to prepare for a possible “short, intense military campaign” against Iran after the American midterm elections on November 3, according to people briefed on diplomatic and military communications, as reported by The Wall Street Journal on October 28.

The warnings do not amount to a decision to attack. They do, however, point to growing signs that Washington and Israel are readying a fresh wave of strikes meant to degrade Iran’s capabilities and push Tehran back to the negotiating table.

Trump leaves the door open

President Donald Trump has not made a final call, but people familiar with his thinking say he is leaning toward a large operation after the vote that could target Iranian infrastructure and nuclear-related sites. Publicly, Trump has said the US would not strike before the midterms while leaving room for action afterward. He has also spoken of possibly staging “another little Epic Fury,” a nod to the earlier US-Israeli campaign, or of reaching a deal with Iran.

Asked for comment, the White House said it would not discuss “sensitive military plans that may or may not exist,” while repeating that Trump “keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” as Kurdistan24 noted.

“Short, intense” is the phrase Gulf capitals were given, but officials also warned that a campaign planned for days could widen into something far longer.

Forces moving into position

Reported preparations include moving another Patriot air-defence system from Texas to the region, reportedly to bolster Israeli defences, along with relocating personnel from bases judged vulnerable to Iranian attack, replenishing munitions and readying bombers and fighter aircraft, according to The News.

An additional aircraft-carrier strike group and a Marine expeditionary unit are expected in the Middle East next month, joining roughly 20 US warships already there, The New Arab reported. Some arriving vessels may replace, rather than add to, ships already on station.

Israel’s plans and the possible targets

Israel has drawn up plans and identified potential targets, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept pressing for resumed strikes. Summaries by other outlets, such as RBC-Ukraine, say the list includes Iran’s nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and missile and drone capabilities. Earlier reporting also described joint planning and exercises, including practice flights over Iraq.

Gulf fears and stalled diplomacy

Gulf governments worry that renewed fighting could expose their territory, ports, airports and oil facilities to Iranian retaliation. The Associated Press, in a report carried by Newsday, said US officials advised partners to prepare for renewed American engagement and for possible Iranian reprisals, which could begin as a several-day operation but risk spreading into a longer conflict.

Mediation, including efforts involving Qatar, has not yielded a breakthrough. Iran has called Qatari proposals “unacceptable ideas.” Related reporting put the cost of the US war effort at about $47.1 billion by mid-October, with roughly $29 billion, close to 60 percent, spent on munitions.

The warning has been widely echoed. Outlets including The Times of Israel and Middle East Eye carried it on October 28, and the Christian Science Monitor had reported US and Israeli threats of new strikes a day earlier.