Israel prepares for renewed Iran war as Trump, Netanyahu speak ahead of US midterms

Israel's political and security leadership has recently held a series of consultations on possible scenarios, including a US decision to approve strikes against Iranian infrastructure and energy facilities. Israeli officials believe such attacks could weaken the Iranian regime and potentially accelerate its collapse, after it survived two wars and a historic wave of widespread protests.A drone view of an election campaign display for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, depicting Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump with the words in Hebrew "we have one opportunity to win!" ( Photo: Reuters)New Delhi,Nov 1, 2026 18:39 ISTIsrael is preparing for a possible renewed and prolonged war with Iran, with its political and military leadership increasingly convinced that a diplomatic breakthrough is unlikely. The preparations come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could authorise fresh strikes against Iranian infrastructure and energy facilities after this week's US midterm elections.According to ynet Global, a senior Israeli official said on Saturday that "it looks like we're heading toward war rather than an agreement", adding that Israel was preparing for fighting to resume immediately after the polls.The developments come as The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Saturday morning, US time. While the report did not disclose what the two leaders discussed, their conversation took place amid preparations in Washington and Jerusalem for a possible resumption of hostilities.ISRAEL BRACES FOR PROLONGED CONFLICTynet Global also reported that Israel was preparing for a sustained military campaign rather than a brief, three-day operation involving targeted strikes, as previously reported by The Wall Street Journal. Israeli officials believe attacks on Iranian infrastructure and energy facilities could weaken the regime and accelerate its collapse, particularly after two wars and a historic wave of widespread protests. The US midterm results could also influence Trump's decision-making. Israeli officials believe the likelihood of military action could increase if Republicans suffer a setback, as the US President may seek to demonstrate that he retains considerable political and military authority. They also assess that Trump would have less to lose politically after the elections and would be reluctant to offer Tehran concessions beyond those already proposed.Israel is also preparing for the possibility that Tehran could launch a pre-emptive attack if it concludes that a joint US-Israeli offensive is imminent, potentially catching Israeli forces off guard. An Israeli official familiar with the discussions told ynet Global that nobody wanted another war, particularly Iran's Gulf neighbours. However, he said negotiations remained stalled and Tehran was showing little willingness to compromise."There is no choice," the official said, adding that any military action would depend not just on political calculations but also on operational conditions. "If all the conditions fall into place, there will be a strike, even if only to accelerate the regime's collapse or move negotiations forward," he said.IRAN WARNS OF WIDER RETALIATIONEven as preparations for a possible escalation continue, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are underway. According to Reuters, Iranian negotiators met Qatari mediators in Doha on Saturday to discuss possible ways to end the war. The meeting followed more than 12 hours of negotiations the previous day, with a source telling the news agency that the discussions were being coordinated with Washington.Gulf countries, meanwhile, believe Trump could resume military action against Iran after the US midterms, despite having so far refrained from ordering fresh strikes.Tehran has also issued a fresh warning to Washington and Tel Aviv. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Saturday that if the US and Israel launched another offensive, Iran would determine the timing and conditions for ending the fighting.In a written statement attributed to him following what Iranian authorities described as a meeting with senior military commanders, Khamenei said he had ordered an update of Iran's military target list to ensure that all "tangible and intangible assets of the American-Zionist enemy" would be within the reach of Iranian forces.He also instructed commanders to maintain combat readiness for a major confrontation and called for retaliation against any attack without geographical limitations. Iranian media said the meeting was attended by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi, armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi and regular army commander Amir Hatami.Khamenei has not appeared publicly since taking over as supreme leader. He was reportedly wounded in Israel's opening strike against Iran on February 28, which targeted the residential compound of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei.NETANYAHU'S REGIME-CHANGE PUSH, ISRAEL'S POLITICAL EQUATIONSNetanyahu has said he instructed Mossad and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to work towards bringing down the Iranian regime, describing it as a directive from Israel's political leadership.A renewed conflict could also have significant consequences for Israel's domestic politics. With the country facing a political deadlock following its elections, another war could complicate negotiations to form the next government while providing grounds for the establishment of a national emergency government.It could also increase the likelihood of Trump intervening in efforts to form a unity government that excludes far-right leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Israeli officials believe such an arrangement could help Trump pursue his broader objectives concerning Iran and the expansion of the Abraham Accords.- Ends