These deliberations were driven by a desire for a foreign policy victory before the November 3 midterm elections, despite a pledge from President Trump that no new bombing would take place before that date. In response, Iranian officials told Reuters they expect U.S. attacks to resume eventually and have warned that any regional energy infrastructure cooperating with the U.S. will be destroyed.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Trump Administration Nearly Authorized Iran Strikes Despite Midterm Pledge
Commodities9 hours ago
Several sources familiar with the matter told the Jerusalem Post that the U.S. government was on the verge of approving military action against Tehran on at least one recent occasion. The contemplated operations targeted Kharg Island, a critical hub that handles roughly 90% of Iran's oil exports, and would have focused on oil storage tanks, loading terminals, and pipelines. Trump discussed these options with advisers at the CIA and the Department of Defense, and the plan included potential parallel precision strikes on military installations and sites at Pickaxe Mountain.
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