The New York Times quoted American officials as saying that the United States and Israel planned to launch attacks on Iran after the midterm elections scheduled for November 3. The newspaper reported that the American and Israeli armies intensified their training and carried out air sorties over Iraq to practice offensive maneuvers. The newspaper indicated that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of carrying out new strikes against Iran, which may include Iranian energy facilities and nuclear infrastructure, in addition to its arsenal of missiles and drones. The newspaper pointed out that some officials believe that a new round of attacks may push the Iranian economy to the brink of collapse and force Tehran to make diplomatic concessions, after about eight months of conflict. On the other hand, the newspaper pointed out that US President Donald Trump’s approval to launch new strikes is not final, as he repeatedly rejected plans during the current year to return to large-scale military operations, including this month, when the American and Israeli armies were about to launch an attack.