US-Israel War on Iran Paused, Planning for Next Strikes Underway — SkimNews
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- US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, killing Iran’s supreme leader in the opening strikes, and have since maintained a naval blockade exceeding 100 days.
- Pete Hegseth visited Israel this week to discuss renewed joint strikes, with plans reportedly targeting Iran’s petrochemical facilities and nuclear sites.
- Trump announced the US would not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, effectively signaling a post-election timetable for renewed military action.
- Netanyahu declared at a rally in Dimona on October 21 that the only way to end the Iranian threat is to overthrow the regime and issued that directive to Israel’s military and intelligence agencies.
- Iran has adopted a new offensive doctrine allowing preemptive strikes and attacks on foreign bases used against it, warning that renewed assaults would trigger a global energy crisis.
- Qatar, Pakistan, and Oman have kept diplomatic channels open with Tehran during the war, and Qatar has called for a regional security dialogue including Iran, Gulf states, Turkey, and Pakistan.
Why it matters: The US and Israel are locked into a war trajectory with Iran that risks a regional conflagration and global energy disruption, while Gulf states—despite hosting US bases—have become targets rather than beneficiaries of security. If Arab nations collectively refuse to support further US-Israeli operations, it could force a strategic shift in Washington and Tel Aviv.
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