US Military Prepares Iran Strike Options for Trump’s Decision
WHO:
CNN - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his directive to the IDF, Mossad and other Israeli security branches is to topple Iran’s government.
Al Jazeera - Julie Norman, an associate fellow at Chatham House, described the strike planning as both deterrent posturing and a real option after the midterm elections.
Al Jazeera - Mohamad Elmasry, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said recent developments pointed toward renewed fighting rather than a diplomatic breakthrough.
CNN - Two US officials said US forces are prepared for possible operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders them; one official said, “It will be a big effort.”
CNN - US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Pentagon have developed a broad target list; a senior Pentagon official said the department develops and executes military options ordered by the president.
CNN - Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio concerning Iranian efforts to target US personnel.
CNN - CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Strait of Hormuz and met service members who cleared Iranian mines.
CNN - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed for new attacks on Iran; Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Eyal Zamir told US Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, an attack could affect Israel’s elections.
Al Jazeera - CENTCOM has prepared possible follow-up strike options for White House approval; the plans were also prepared for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Al Jazeera - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for continued efforts toward an agreement. Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was to miss the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi.
Al Jazeera - Iran’s army said it shot down a US-developed LUCAS drone; IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi described a shift to an “offensive” military doctrine.
WHAT:
CNN - An Israeli security source said Netanyahu sought a joint attack on Iran before the elections, but Trump did not approve it; US officials reportedly asked Netanyahu to delay new strikes until the administration was ready for joint operations.
CNN - Israel had delayed immediate plans for additional strikes and was building up for potential joint operations with the United States.
CNN - Israel agreed in part to delay strikes because it needed US support for missile defense.
Al Jazeera - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the United States had derailed negotiations but called for efforts to reach an agreement to continue.
Al Jazeera - Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was to miss the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum; Iran’s Embassy in India cited “unforeseen circumstances.”
Al Jazeera - Iran claimed seven oil tankers had caught fire or sustained damage in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
CNN - US forces are positioned to begin potentially major operations within “96 hours of receiving” Trump’s order. Possible targets include Iranian energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities; the proposed scope goes beyond recurring strikes on readily replaceable assets.
CNN - Officials said Trump had not decided whether to order action, though some officials familiar with military planning thought an order possible before the end of the year. The White House declined to comment.
CNN - US intelligence assessments indicated Iran and Houthi rebels were taking the prospect of renewed US and possibly Israeli attacks seriously. Officials assessed they would likely retaliate against US personnel and facilities if Iran were attacked, but were unlikely to launch preemptive attacks at that point.
CNN - Clayton’s memo said Iran had “substantially increased efforts to target US personnel” and plotting had “reached advanced stages” in the Middle East and other countries.
CNN - The US was expected to reduce embassy staffing in the region; the US Embassy in Riyadh was the only facility under an ordered departure, and other facilities could receive similar directives or staffing caps. Nonessential military personnel scheduled for the next Middle East rotation were told they would not deploy.
CNN - The US maintained a blockade on Iranian ports and assisted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Cooper said the visit demonstrated commitment to “continued freedom of navigation.”
Al Jazeera - Reports said the US and Israel had prepared joint attack plans and that US planning included strikes on Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear sites. The reports did not establish that an attack had been ordered.
Al Jazeera - Trump said the US could strike as soon as “tomorrow,” later suggesting a possible attack as early as Sunday; he also mentioned a possible “big, beautiful” agreement and said Washington “may do another little Epic Fury.”
Al Jazeera - Iran’s army reportedly shot down a LUCAS drone over Bandar Abbas. Reuters reported Iranian plans to target Gulf undersea communications cables if US and Israeli attacks resumed. Iran also claimed seven oil tankers had caught fire or been damaged around the Strait of Hormuz.
Al Jazeera - More than 120 attacks on ships were reported during October, making it the worst month for ship attacks since the war began.
Reddit Conspiracy - A post by /u/SleepDeprivation247 alleged a possible attack on US soil could come “from the inside”; it offered no substantiation.
WHERE:
CNN - The potential operations, personnel reductions and retaliation risks concern Iran and the Middle East; the Strait of Hormuz and US Embassy in Riyadh were specifically mentioned.
Al Jazeera - The reported drone incident occurred over Bandar Abbas, Iran; the BRICS forum was in New Delhi, India.
WHEN:
CNN - The reported strike-readiness period is within “96 hours” after an order; officials described a possible decision before year’s end, most likely after the US midterm elections.
Al Jazeera - The article identified November 3 as the US midterm election date and said the USS Theodore Roosevelt, roughly 10,000 additional soldiers and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit were being sent to the Middle East by the end of November.
WHY:
CNN - A source familiar with US intelligence assessments said Netanyahu and his allies lacked a clear strategic objective beyond demonstrating “progress” and continuing to degrade Iran’s government.
Al Jazeera - Norman said there was no clear answer to how further escalation would force Iran to negotiate.
CNN - Officials cited the prospect of Iranian retaliation, strained Israeli defensive munitions, high oil prices and the long-term “untenable” status quo around the Strait of Hormuz as factors in planning and possible US action.
Al Jazeera - Analysts said the preparations could deter Iran and preserve a military option, while warning that the purpose and effects of another campaign—including whether it would pressure Iran into negotiations—were unclear.
(UPDATED October 26, 2026 16:10 UTC)
The United States has prepared options for potentially major strikes on Iran, including attacks on energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities, but President Trump has not ordered an attack. Israel has delayed immediate strikes while building toward possible joint operations, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying his directive is to topple Iran’s government. Iran has urged continued efforts toward an agreement as tensions rise around the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping attacks and reported damage to oil tankers have added to concerns about retaliation and further escalation.
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(UPDATED October 26, 2026 05:10 UTC)
US forces are prepared for potentially major operations against Iran if President Trump gives the order, with plans that could target energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities. Officials say forces could be ready within 96 hours, but Trump has not decided whether to act. The Pentagon has developed options for the White House, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for continued efforts toward an agreement. US intelligence warns that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target American personnel, with plotting reaching advanced stages. Officials expect Iran and Houthi rebels could retaliate if attacked, though they assessed Iran was unlikely to strike preemptively. The United States is maintaining a blockade on Iranian ports and assisting ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where its military commander met service members who cleared Iranian mines. The US Embassy in Riyadh has ordered staff departures, and other regional facilities could follow.