The pause comes as the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the USS Makin Island amphibious ready group sail toward the Middle East with roughly 9,000 to 10,000 sailors and Marines, a buildup that could put three US aircraft carriers and two amphibious groups near Iran by November. Vice President JD Vance chaired an unannounced meeting at Camp David with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other top national security officials to review next steps in Iran and Yemen, and the Pentagon has drafted options for a three-day bombing campaign targeting Iran's missile and drone arsenal, energy facilities and Revolutionary Guard headquarters.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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White House Orders Halt to Iran Strikes Before Midterms as Mediators Urge Tehran Deal
War4 days ago
The White House has ordered a halt to strikes against Iran to avoid escalation ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, a US official said, even as Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz surged to their highest level of the war. In indirect talks, regional mediators warned Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi in recent days not to wait until after the US vote to respond to Washington's proposals, Axios reported, telling him "there's no guarantee Trump will be more conciliatory after the midterms; he might be more aggressive."
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