Iran war: Trump rules out strike "today" as U.S. military keeps plans ready
Central Command has reportedly drawn up options for renewed strikes after the midterms. Tehran says messages are still being passed through intermediaries.
Symbolic image · Photo: United States Navy U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kaylianna Genier / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out an imminent strike on Iran for now. "No. There will not be a strike today," he said on Sunday, according to CBS News. Earlier, on Fox News, he left open whether he would make a deal or "finish them off." According to a report by The Hill, cited by Al Jazeera, U.S. Central Command has prepared options for renewed attacks that could be carried out if the White House authorizes them. The planning reportedly focuses on the period after the Nov. 3 congressional elections.
By the end of November, the U.S. is deploying the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, about 10,000 additional troops and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, according to Al Jazeera. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said more than 3,000 commercial vessels had transited the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. military support over six months, according to CBS. At the same time, October is the worst month for attacks on ships since the war began in February, with more than 120 reported, according to Al Jazeera.
Tehran is signaling both openness to talks and resolve. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said diplomacy was not over and that messages were being exchanged with the U.S. through intermediaries, according to CBS. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: "Whether there is war or not, our policies remain the same." According to sources cited by Reuters, officials from the so-called Mecca pact countries are to meet Iranian officials in Tehran; no details were initially available.