From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 8, 2026
US military told to complete preparations for potential resumption of Iran operations — reports
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The Pentagon has told the US military to be ready to resume military operations against Iran, US officials tell Axios.
The report says that US President Donald Trump has not made a definitive decision on the matter, and that the order did not include a date for the potential resumption of open conflict, but that it could potentially be ahead of the Israeli elections at the end of the month.
“The US is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing. Iran has been decimated, and things will go one of two ways: the easy way or the hard way,” a White House official tells Axios. “President Trump holds all the cards and will do whatever is best for the United States.”
Sources tell Axios that if strikes were to resume, they are expected to target nuclear, infrastructure and energy sites.
The news site says if fighting were to resume, it is likely to also include the Israeli military.
The report comes after two administration officials tell The Atlantic that the White House asked the Pentagon to draw up plans for the resumption of strikes even ahead of the US midterm elections in November.
The officials tell the periodical that the potential move would demonstrate that Trump is serious in his wish to reduce gas prices.
More from today’s Liveblog:
- IDF says it killed suspect who crossed ceasefire line in southern Gaza
- Polls open in London local election as Green Party’s Polanski bids for seat days after ‘Zionism is racism’ motion
- London Jewish man beaten after confronting activists over graffiti calling Labour candidate a ‘puppet of genocidal Israel’
The Times of Israel Community.