Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF earlier this month to prepare for a large-scale attack on Iran planned for the weekend of October 10, but the operation was ultimately scrapped following fierce opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump. That’s according to a report published Wednesday by the British newspaper Financial Times, citing three sources familiar with the details.
According to the report, Israel was preparing for a multi-day air campaign that would include unprecedented strikes on nuclear facilities, civilian infrastructure including power plants, and sites associated with Iran’s regime apparatus—with even greater intensity than the joint U.S.-Israel operation conducted in February. Behind the decision stands Trump’s determination to avoid a major escalation before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, alongside extraordinary military preparations by the IDF and continued political-security pressure from Jerusalem.
According to sources familiar with the details, the operational plan prepared by the IDF was designed to include several consecutive days of bombing against a long list of strategic targets deep inside Iran, including nuclear facilities, power generation plants, and key civilian infrastructure, alongside strikes on regime symbols. The scope and intensity of the planned operation were meant to exceed everything seen in the previous joint campaign in February. Although the operation planned for October 10 was canceled due to Trump’s refusal to open a new war before the midterm elections, Netanyahu has not taken the military option off the table, and both leaders continue to send tough, combative messages toward Tehran.
In assessment discussions, a question mark arose regarding direct involvement of U.S. forces in the original operation, with it currently unclear whether Washington was meant to take an active part in the October 10 strike or whether it was an independent Israeli move. However, a source knowledgeable about the details clarified that the possibility of the two countries resuming military action remains entirely tangible for the coming weeks, describing the situation in these words: “Either there will be a deal, or there will be an attack.”
According to additional sources, the main American objective is to force Iran to submit to harsh terms that the Trump administration will set as part of a comprehensive arrangement around the nuclear project and control of shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, while it’s possible that part of the military planning was designed to apply maximum pressure within the framework of negotiations.
The revelation comes following the visit to Israel by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who held a series of closed meetings with Netanyahu and senior security officials. During these contacts, Israeli officials presented their American counterparts with an updated target bank in Iran, based on high-quality, recently collected intelligence, including additional civilian infrastructure that was not hit in previous campaigns. This step proves that operational preparations in Israel continue at full intensity and are constantly updated, even after the postponement of the previous plan.
Meanwhile, the White House is careful to maintain a rigid political timeline. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly emphasized that Iran is currently at an unprecedented low economically and militarily following combined American-Israeli pressure, and that the naval blockade on Iranian ports alongside securing oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz are bearing fruit. However, Kelly sealed the administration’s position with an unequivocal message: “The United States will not attack Iran at any stage before the midterm elections”—a statement that does not rule out resuming attacks immediately afterward.
On the domestic front, the IDF is operating at supreme alert and taking the highly unusual step of sweeping cancellation of all leave for all service members starting this Thursday until after the Knesset elections. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir explained that the move is necessary to allow the democratic process to take place in complete safety given security threats and concern about sudden regional escalation.
In recent days, Trump has escalated his rhetoric, with a forceful public statement of support for Netanyahu on Truth Social on Sunday, warning the Israeli public against changing leadership and claiming that if the U.S. is left alone facing Iran “he’s not inclined to deal with it alone.” The president threatened that if Tehran doesn’t change its ways immediately, “at a near point we’ll finish the job.” The words gain added weight in light of a video Netanyahu released earlier this week from an air force base, in which he spoke in a live broadcast with Trump in front of a fighter jet as they jointly vowed “to finish the job.”