Washington DC: The United States and Israel have drawn up plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the American midterm elections, according to reports by The New York Times. Meanwhile, as per the same report, Tehran has threatened to unveil a weapon it calls the "father of all bombs" amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
According to the report, the US and Israeli militaries have developed specific plans for a short but intensive operation targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenal. Citing US officials and other people briefed on the deliberations, the report said the two militaries have stepped up exercises, including flying aircraft over Iraq to practise strike manoeuvres.
US War Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss potential renewed strikes, according to the news report. Some US officials believe another round of "attacks" could push Iran’s economy to the brink and force Tehran to make diplomatic concessions after nearly eight months of conflict.
Iranian response to potential strikes
Amid the possibility of renewed strikes, Iran has warned that it would respond to any renewed military action. According to Iranian state-affiliated media outlet Student News Network (SNN), Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said, "The United States has the ‘Mother of All Bombs.’ We will show them the ‘Father of All Bombs,’ and it will definitely be something new for them."
But, Tehran has not provided details about the weapon or clarified what the threat entails.
The warning follows reports that US President Donald Trump has considered using the 22,000-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), known as the "Mother of All Bombs", against Iran’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility.
According to The New York Times, weapons specialists have questioned whether the bomb, which explodes above ground, could destroy the underground site, which is composed of granite. Military officials have also warned that the bomb would have to be delivered by a slow-flying MC-130 transport aircraft vulnerable to Iranian anti-aircraft fire.
The NYT report
However, the news report said it remains uncertain whether Trump will approve fresh strikes. The US and Israel came close to launching an "attack" earlier this month, but Trump postponed the operation shortly before it was due to begin, despite extensive preparations and heightened alert levels among their air forces.
A White House official said the administration does not comment on military plans "that may or may not exist", adding that Trump was keeping all options on the table to ensure Iran cannot acquire nuclear weapons.
According to The New York Times, the United States is assembling a substantial military force expected to be fully in place by early November, including three aircraft carriers, thousands of Marines, fighter jets and Special Operations forces. Officials have cited political considerations, including Trump’s earlier pledge not to strike Iran before the midterm elections, as reasons the operation could be delayed.
The New York Times report said Washington was seeking to use the prospect of renewed military action as leverage in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and control over the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iranian negotiators have resisted making concessions on the nuclear issue, insisting that the matter be deferred until later in the talks.
Some US planners believe an intensive three-day campaign could inflict enough economic damage to change Tehran’s position. However, the report noted that previous US-Israeli strikes between February and April drove up energy prices and inflation worldwide, eroded security in West Asia.
Pezeshkian's remarks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, has highlighted the situation as a major challenge for Tehran. In an address to the Iranian Parliament, Pezeshkian said, "The memorandum of understanding we signed was very good; we hadn't given anything. The current situation is neither good for us, nor for the region, nor for the world."
He added, "We are in a super-challenge, not a challenge. America didn't think we would stand firm despite the pressure and war, but we stood firm, and we will continue to stand firm."
Iran’s representative to the United Nations also alleged, as cited by the SNN, that "Starlink has been used to identify and target in military attacks against Iran...The country's space and scientific infrastructure has been targeted in attacks."
US releases new round of Iran-related sanctions
Meanwhile, the United States on Wednesday released a new round of Iran-related sanctions targeting a law firm, shipping agents and multiple cargo vessels.
As part of Operation Economic Outcast, a sanctions campaign targeting Iran, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned a Panama- and Greece-based law firm, according to a statement released on the website of the department.
The law firm has supported illicit Iranian shipping activity for years, indirectly aiding Tehran's ability to generate revenue "to fund its military, weapons, and nuclear programs," according to the statement.
The department sanctioned Singapore- and UAE-based shipping agents, saying they have directly aided Iranian shadow fleet operations.
The sanctions also targeted a fleet of cargo vessels that has helped generate substantial revenue for Iran, said the statement.
(With inputs from ANI & Reuters)
