Trump says new Iran offensive unlikely if talks progress
US President Donald Trump told CNN that resuming war with Iran is highly unlikely as long as negotiations on nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz advance. He warned the US military is ready with three aircraft carriers and has identified targets including 38 bridges. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded, demanding US decision-making.
The article examines the likelihood of a US-Israeli attack on Iran under President Trump, about five days after his defeat in the US midterm elections. The author, Amit Alharar, argues that despite expectations of a broad attack immediately after the elections, Trump 'lowered his profile' due to domestic criticism. However, he notes that Iran continues to provoke the US: according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), Iran attacked vessels in the Strait of Hormuz eight times in the past week, leading to US strikes on Qeshm Island in southern Iran, including for the third consecutive night. The strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems and radars, as preparation for a broader operation. The US is sending a third aircraft carrier, the nuclear-powered USS Theodore Roosevelt, expected to arrive between November 13 and 16. Trump told CNN yesterday that 'the likelihood of returning to war with Iran is very low if negotiations continue,' but the author assesses this is a trick, and that an Israeli-American operation in Iran is a 'done deal'.