The United States has reportedly warned Arab Gulf states to prepare for a short but intense military campaign against Iran following the US midterm elections, as Washington and Israel position their forces for another potentially devastating confrontation with Tehran.
The warnings, delivered through diplomatic and military channels, were revealed by The Wall Street Journal, citing individuals briefed on the discussions. They come as American military movements suggest preparations for a renewed offensive aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities and pressuring its leadership into negotiations.
Yet behind the growing military buildup lies a question that Washington and Israel have struggled to answer: Would another wave of devastating strikes force Iran into submission, or push Tehran towards an even more uncompromising position?
US Military Preparations Point to Another Confrontation
American forces are already taking concrete steps to prepare for a possible escalation, according to officials familiar with the military movements.
The US military is transferring a Patriot air defence system from Texas to strengthen its missile defences in the region. At the same time, American troops have been moved away from bases considered particularly vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.
US forces stationed across the Middle East are also replenishing their ammunition stockpiles, while strategic bombers and fighter aircraft are being prepared for potential strikes.
The preparations extend beyond air power.
An additional aircraft carrier strike group and a Marine Corps unit are expected to join an American naval force already operating approximately 20 warships across the Middle East next month. Some existing vessels may be withdrawn or replaced as part of the deployment changes.
Taken together, the movements indicate that Washington is preparing not only for offensive operations but also for the possibility that Iran could retaliate against American military installations, personnel and naval assets throughout the region.
The military preparations accompany diplomatic messages to Gulf governments, whose territories and surrounding waters could become exposed to the consequences of another US-Iran confrontation.
Trump Has Not Made His Decision, but a Larger Attack Is Under Consideration
Despite the extensive preparations, US President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on launching another military campaign.
However, individuals familiar with his thinking told The Wall Street Journal that he is leaning towards a broad offensive after the midterm elections.
Such an operation could target Iranian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, significantly expanding the scope of potential American military action.
The reported timing also places the prospect of renewed military confrontation within the context of the American electoral calendar, although the administration has not publicly committed to the operation described by the newspaper.
Within US foreign policy circles, discussions are already turning towards how Washington would justify another military campaign against Iran.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran programme at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, an American think tank, argued that any renewed military action would require a clear public justification.
“If there is a need to target a growing threat, such as the rebuilding of missile capabilities, President Trump should present the justification publicly and in as much detail as possible,” he said.
Ben Taleblu also suggested that Washington already possesses considerable leverage over Tehran without resorting to another military campaign.
“Otherwise, the United States currently has the upper hand thanks to the continued sanctions and blockade. It should maintain the same approach,” he added.
His assessment reflects an argument that Washington’s existing economic pressure could remain an alternative to further military escalation.
Iran Survived More Than 20,000 Strikes. Would Another Campaign Change Anything?
One of the central uncertainties surrounding the proposed offensive is whether additional military force would achieve what previous attacks failed to accomplish.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran endured more than 20,000 American and Israeli strikes during the most intense phase of the war without abandoning its confrontational posture.
Despite the scale of the bombardment, Tehran continued attacking vessels in the Arabian Gulf, targeting American forces and warships, and maintaining uncompromising demands during negotiations.
For analysts questioning the effectiveness of another offensive, Iran’s response to the previous campaign raises serious doubts about the assumption that greater military pressure would automatically produce political concessions.
The concern is not merely that Tehran could withstand another round of attacks. It is that further bombardment could strengthen the Iranian leadership’s determination to resist American and Israeli demands.
Former Israeli Intelligence Official Warns Against Assuming Bombing Will Topple Iran’s Government
Dani Citrinowicz, a former Israeli military intelligence official, challenged what he described as a persistent strategic miscalculation by both Washington and Israel.
“I believe one of the biggest mistakes Israel and the United States continue to make is assuming that another round of strikes against Iran, including attacks on critical infrastructure or the assassination of senior officials, could somehow lead to the collapse of the regime,” he told The Wall Street Journal.
His assessment directly challenges the belief that destroying Iranian military assets or targeting senior leadership figures would necessarily destabilise the country’s political system.
Instead, Citrinowicz warned that further bombardment could produce the opposite outcome, making the Iranian leadership more resistant to external pressure and more determined to preserve its missile and nuclear programmes.
The warning comes against the backdrop of the June 2025 war, during which the United States and Israel destroyed a substantial portion of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Yet the prospect of another major offensive suggests that the destruction inflicted during that campaign has not resolved the underlying confrontation.
Washington is now considering another round of military pressure against an adversary that, according to the assessments cited by The Wall Street Journal, has already demonstrated its willingness to absorb extensive bombardment without accepting the political terms demanded by the United States and Israel.
