Washington, Oct 22:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had planned a fresh round of strikes against Iran earlier this month, including attacks on civilian infrastructure, but the operation was put on hold after US President Donald Trump opposed restarting the conflict before the American midterm elections, according to a report by the *Financial Times*.
The newspaper, citing three people familiar with the plans, reported that the Israeli military had prepared a multi-day bombing campaign for the weekend of October 10. The proposed targets included Iranian nuclear facilities, sites linked to the countryâs leadership and civilian infrastructure such as electricity plants.
The planned operation was reportedly expected to be more intense than the US-Israeli attacks carried out on February 28. It was ultimately shelved for the time being after Trump expressed reservations about reigniting the war ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3.
It was not clear whether the United States would have participated directly in the proposed operation or whether Israel would have acted alone. However, one person familiar with the planning told the newspaper that renewed strikes in the coming weeks remained a possibility.
Trump had previously said that the United States would not attack Iran before the midterm elections, citing ongoing discussions with Tehran. The administration has continued to apply pressure on Iran while pursuing diplomatic efforts to secure an agreement.
The report also said Israel had prepared an updated list of potential targets, including civilian infrastructure sites that had not been struck during the February campaign. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly visited Israel earlier in the week and held discussions with Netanyahu and other senior officials.
The developments come amid continuing tensions over Iranâs nuclear programme, regional security and the conflictâs impact on shipping and energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz remains a major point of concern because of its importance to global oil and gas transportation.
Netanyahu has continued to issue warnings about Iran and has argued that the threat posed by its leadership must be addressed. Trump, meanwhile, has publicly indicated that military action would not resume before the US elections, while leaving open the possibility of further developments afterwards.
The Financial Times report was based on unnamed sources familiar with Israeli military planning. The claims about the proposed October operation have not been officially confirmed in full, and the extent of any possible US involvement remains unclear. A separate report by The Jerusalem Post, citing its own sources, disputed the claim that the Israeli military had been preparing to strike Iran on October 10.