Iran faces potential US and Israeli joint military strikes as Gulf allies push for peace

The United States and Israel are drawing up plans for a potential seven-day military offensive against Iran following the American midterm elections, Gulf News reported. Target lists reportedly focus on leadership sites, atomic infrastructure, energy networks and other essential facilities, even as regional powers mount an urgent diplomatic campaign to halt a broader regional conflict.

A final decision from President Donald Trump remains pending, according to Axios. However, the Associated Press reported that the US administration has cautioned Middle Eastern partners to brace for fresh military engagements and anticipated Iranian retaliation against vital infrastructure, particularly energy networks.

Coordination has already advanced between defense chiefs. Israeli military chief General Eyal Zamir recently conferred with US Central Command head Admiral Brad Cooper regarding operational arrangements. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly advocated for toppling the Iranian administration, describing leadership change as Israel's core goal, though Washington has not confirmed alignment on that outcome.

American forces in the region have expanded substantially. The Pentagon relocated the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and amphibious vessels carrying Marines toward the Arabian Gulf, raising the overall US presence to over 20,000 personnel backed by hundreds of combat aircraft, AP reported. Amid the preparations, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, the chief strategy officer on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, without providing an explanation, according to CNN.

Neighboring Gulf states have intensified mediation to head off the anticipated assault. The United Arab Emirates issued a call for restraint and political engagement, while Saudi Arabia urged Washington to allow negotiators more time. Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish representatives recently met in Tehran to push for de-escalation, and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi floated a broader regional security pact that would encompass Iraq and Iran alongside Gulf Cooperation Council members.

Simultaneously, Qatar is facilitating a compromise alongside regional partners that would readmit International Atomic Energy Agency monitors to damaged Iranian facilities. Under that framework, Washington could potentially grant targeted economic concessions, including oil shipment waivers and access to frozen accounts for humanitarian goods.

Direct communications have also surfaced. The New York Times reported that US Vice President JD Vance transmitted a proposal through Qatari intermediaries offering to personally lead discussions with Iranian officials, specifically reaching out to Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei. Trump subsequently described the message as focused on medical resources rather than comprehensive peace talks.

The looming decision lands as Washington confronts substantial costs from the eight-month standoff, with the Pentagon tallying American taxpayer expenditures at $47.1 billion, according to AP. Speaking in Texas, Trump remarked that a resolution must arrive soon, whether through a negotiated pact or alternative measures.