Will Trump relaunch his war on Iran after the midterm elections? | Mohamad Bazzi

US President Donald Trump may decide whether to resume large-scale strikes on Iran after the 3 November midterm elections, amid reports of US-Israeli plans targeting nuclear sites, missile arsenals and civilian infrastructure. The article argues that bombing would be unlikely to force a lasting agreement and could deepen the conflict Trump began eight months ago.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged Trump to restart attacks, while Qatar has been mediating talks that reportedly made progress on an interim deal: Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the US lifted its port blockade and released frozen Iranian assets. The waterway carried more than a fifth of the world’s oil supply each day before Iran largely closed it following US and Israeli attacks in late February. The article says Trump’s threats and shifting stance have fuelled mistrust, while his approval rating fell to 30% in early October.