The Atlantic: Trump is Considering a Plan to Strike Iran Before the Midterm Elections

Listen to the article, the audio text is automatically generated by a machine system.

After months of intermittent fighting, the United States has not launched any strikes against Iran for several weeks.

This period of relative calm coincides with the final stage of the midterm election campaign, where there is an assumption that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to maintain this situation until November 3rd; to avoid reminding voters of an unpopular war that negatively affects the chances of Republican candidates across the country.

However, things may not go this way; the White House has asked the Pentagon to prepare options for strikes against Iranian targets that could be carried out before the midterm elections, according to two administration officials who spoke to The Atlantic magazine on Wednesday.

Administration officials explained that these plans reflect the president's desire to lower fuel prices and demonstrate progress in the conflict before the voting date.

Discussions are still ongoing regarding the scale of potential strikes and the targeted objectives, as well as whether the administration will ultimately proceed with their implementation, according to the magazine.

An American official stated that the U.S. Central Command - which is responsible for coordinating military efforts - is the one preparing these plans.

Even supporters of these plans acknowledge that limited strikes alone will not push Iran to the negotiating table, guarantee the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, or lower fuel prices before election day.

However, supporters believe that taking additional action after months of fragile calm could allow Trump to demonstrate strength and possibly declare some form of victory, giving Republicans the momentum they desperately need ahead of the elections.

In this context, a Republican official familiar with the discussions - speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue - stated that such a step "would make the president appear as if he achieved a victory, and would lead to a beginning of falling fuel prices."

The limited operation may be followed by more comprehensive military movements after the midterm elections; a period during which Trump hinted at the possibility of resuming the conflict, noting that this conflict is now entering its eighth month.