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The Pentagon has prepared plans for a three-day military campaign against Iran.
However, US President Donald Trump says Washington will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections.
The New York Times reported that US military planners had developed several strike options. Potential targets include Iran’s missile and drone arsenal, energy facilities and military sites.
Senior national security officials discussed the plans at Camp David last Friday. Vice President JD Vance led the discussions.
The proposals reportedly centre on an intensive campaign lasting about three days. Targets could include missile sites, drone facilities and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters.
The report said Iran had rebuilt much of its missile and drone arsenal since the war began.
Separately, Axios reported that the Pentagon had instructed US Central Command (CENTCOM) to prepare for renewed combat operations.
The directive reportedly set no date for possible strikes. Trump had also not made a final decision, according to the report.
Trump said Washington and Tehran were holding “productive discussions” in a Truth Social post. He also ruled out an attack before the midterm elections.
The New York Times reported that Trump had repeatedly rejected proposals for renewed military operations. However, he had ordered officials to prepare new options.
Three US aircraft carriers could be in the Middle East in the coming weeks, the newspaper reported.
The US Treasury Department sanctioned 17 vessels linked to Iran’s shadow fleet on Thursday. The move aims to increase pressure on Tehran’s petroleum exports.
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The department said the vessels had transported millions of barrels of Iranian oil and petroleum products. Their destinations included markets across South and East Asia.
The sanctions also targeted companies involved in the shipping network.
“No enabler of Iranian sanctions evasion is safe from the full force of Treasury’s authorities,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
One targeted vessel was the Vanuatu-flagged Tina 5. Treasury said it transported more than 1.5 million barrels of Iranian crude oil in August.
The Comoros-flagged Sogl reportedly transported over two million barrels of Iranian propane and butane. Those shipments took place from September 2025 onward.
The Cameroon-flagged Shenzen carried more than 3.5 million barrels of crude oil since November 2025, according to Treasury.
The measures form part of Operation Economic Outcast. Washington launched the initiative on August 24 to restrict Iran’s international financial and commercial access.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for dialogue without pressure or threats. He spoke at a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in Turkmenistan.
AFP reported his remarks on Friday. Pezeshkian said negotiations required mutual respect and commitments.
“Dialogue holds meaning and a chance of success only when based on mutual respect and mutual commitments, and when devoid of pressure and threat,” he said.
His comments came as the conflict remained deadlocked. Diplomatic efforts between the opposing sides continued.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier returned to San Diego on Thursday. It completed a 321-day deployment that included operations linked to the Iran war, USNI News reported.
The carrier arrived at Naval Air Station North Island. It had spent 265 consecutive days at sea without a port call, according to the report.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the ship at sea on Wednesday. He presented its crew with the Presidential Unit Citation.
The award recognised the strike group’s role in Operation Epic Fury.
Hegseth praised the crew’s performance. He also rejected suggestions that the carrier symbolised dysfunction or low morale.
The carrier initially left San Diego for the Pacific in November 2025. It was later redirected to the Middle East.
The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, according to the supplied report.
The deployment also drew attention to reported shortages of food and basic supplies. Media reports raised concerns about crew morale and mental health.
Reports also described incidents involving sailors allegedly attempting to jump overboard.
Iran’s Defence Ministry said the country’s armed forces remained equipped and ready for combat.
Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik said weapons production had continued despite the conflict. He also claimed that output had increased significantly.
Press TV reported his remarks on Thursday. Talaei-Nik said the military had sufficient weapons, equipment and supplies.
He claimed weapons production rose 2.5 times during the seven months following the 40-day conflict. He compared this output with the equivalent period before the war.
These figures were not independently verified in the supplied report.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported several powerful explosions in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.
The broadcaster cited military sources who suggested oil tankers may have struck naval mines. The alleged explosions occurred in the waterway’s southern passage.
The report claimed some vessels may have used routes that Tehran had not authorised.
However, the broadcaster provided few details. It did not identify the tankers or confirm casualties and damage.
The reported blasts came amid rising tensions around the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global oil and gas shipments.
The circumstances surrounding the explosions remained unclear.
Trump said his comments about Iran potentially attacking California cities had been misinterpreted.
He made the remarks at a political rally in Nebraska on Monday. He was discussing the economic sacrifices Americans faced during the war.
“It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country safe,” Trump said.
He then mentioned Los Angeles and San Diego as possible targets. The comments drew criticism from California’s Democratic leaders and some Republicans.
Trump later clarified his remarks in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
He said he was referring to temporary increases in gasoline prices. He described those costs as a price worth paying to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“If you want to see a big price, can you imagine what it would be like if they bombed San Diego and/or Los Angeles?” he wrote.
Trump added that he loved both cities.
He has previously dismissed concerns about rising living costs linked to the Iran conflict.
[…] US Prepares Three-Day Iran Strike Plan as Trump Rules Out Attack Before Midterms […]