Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sought renewed large-scale attacks on Iran earlier this month. According to the Financial Times, Israel’s military prepared a multi-day bombing campaign targeting nuclear facilities, government sites and civilian infrastructure. The proposed operation raised concerns about a possible return to direct military confrontation. The report cited three people familiar with the planning.
Israeli forces reportedly prepared the operation for the weekend ending October 10. Planned targets included Iranian nuclear installations, government facilities and power plants. However, the military ultimately cancelled the mission after US President Donald Trump opposed restarting the conflict before America’s November 3 midterm elections.
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Despite the cancellation, Trump and Netanyahu have continued threatening further military action against Iran. Both leaders have indicated that Washington and Jerusalem should complete their campaign against the Iranian government. The newspaper reported that the proposed strikes could have exceeded the intensity of the joint US-Israeli offensive launched in February.
The report did not establish whether American forces would directly participate in the proposed operation. However, sources indicated that Israel and the United States could resume attacks in the coming weeks. Such a development would risk renewing military confrontation between the countries and Iran, although no final decision was confirmed in the report.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly visited Israel on Monday. He held discussions with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials during the visit. According to one source, Israeli officials presented an updated list of Iranian targets based on newly gathered intelligence.
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The updated list reportedly included civilian infrastructure that Israel had not targeted during earlier attacks this year. The disclosure suggests that Israeli planners were considering additional targets beyond those included in previous operations. However, the report provided no confirmed timetable for any renewed military campaign.
Israeli forces have reportedly maintained a heightened state of alert for several weeks. In an unusual move, the military cancelled soldiers’ leave from Thursday through Israel’s parliamentary elections on October 27. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the measure aimed to protect democratic elections and ensure they proceeded as scheduled.