October 22, 2026
Amid talk of preparations for a new round of strikes against Iran after the midterm elections for the US Congress, US President Donald Trump reiterated that his country had destroyed Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities through Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury.
In a speech he delivered during an election rally in South Carolina, Trump considered that “the repercussions of the war that Americans bear are a small price,” describing Iran as “the number one state sponsor of terrorism.”
He also added: “We can withdraw now, but we want to ensure that the results of what we achieved in Iran continue for a long time.” He continued: “We now guarantee that Tehran does not possess a nuclear weapon, and these steps should have been taken years ago.”
In addition, he later indicated that “most people believe that his country will do something after the elections in Iran,” but he refrained from clarifying, saying only, “We will see what happens.”
Trump confirmed that his administration is not negotiating with the Iranians, adding, “Something will happen one way or another soon.”
These statements came as American officials and informed sources reported that the American and Israeli armies had prepared specific plans to launch new strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections scheduled for next November 3, according to what was reported by the New York Times.
The sources also indicated that the planning focused on a short but intense military operation, adding that the American and Israeli armies intensified their training, as they carried out air sorties over Iraq to practice attack maneuvers. She added that the targets are likely to include Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and an arsenal of missiles and drones.
In addition, American officials pointed out that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss launching new strikes.
Informed officials believe that another large-scale round of attacks could push the Iranian economy to the brink of collapse and force the country to make diplomatic concessions after about eight months of conflict.
At the same time, Israeli and American officials confirmed that dozens of Israeli Air Force fighters carried out an air sortie last Monday, arriving close to the Iranian border, according to what was reported by the American website Axios.
The operation took place more than 800 miles from Israel, a week before the Israeli elections, and on the same day that Hegseth met with Netanyahu at the Israeli Ovda Air Base.
