U.S. Advises Regional Allies to Prepare for Possible Post-Election Iran Strikes

U.S. officials have told several West Asian countries and regional partners to prepare for the possibility of renewed strikes against Iran once the United States holds its midterm elections on November 3. Two diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the warnings were conveyed by U.S. diplomats and defence officials, though they were not authorised to comment publicly.

President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to order new military action, but he has indicated that the decision will be considered after the elections. The White House declined to comment on the matter.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X on October 28 that Tehran continues to give diplomacy a chance and is working with mediators on a proposal that was previously rejected by President Trump. The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry called on all sides to "exercise wisdom and pursue political solutions" to avoid a return to full-scale operations.

U.S. officials warned that any new round of action could last several days and that Iran and its proxy groups might respond with retaliatory strikes on energy facilities and other critical infrastructure. Regional allies have been urged to take precautionary measures.

The Pentagon recently deployed the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and amphibious landing ships carrying roughly 9,000 Marines to the Persian Gulf, raising the U.S. naval presence in the region to levels not seen in two decades. A U.S. official said the deployment could result in more than 20,000 sailors and Marines and hundreds of aircraft operating in West Asia.

During a campaign stop in Lubbock, Texas, on October 27, President Trump said a conclusive end to the eight-month-old conflict could come "in a couple of weeks" and asserted that the war would end when he decides. Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, warned that Iran might act before the elections to gain an advantage.

The Pentagon estimates the cost of the Iran war to American taxpayers at $47.1 billion.