WSJ: U.S. warns Gulf states of short but intense war with Iran after midterms
A new offensive against Iran could follow the U.S. midterm elections, the newspaper reports. The White House declined to discuss 'sensitive military plans.'
Symbolic image · Photo: U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
The United States has told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a short but intense military offensive against Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people briefed on the discussions. According to the report, the U.S. military is sending a Patriot air defense battery from Texas to the region and moving troops away from bases where they could be exposed to Iranian fire.
The White House declined to comment on "sensitive military plans that may or may not exist." "President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," it said. According to an analysis by The Times of Israel, the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier group and about 10,000 Marines are expected in the Middle East by late November, which would put three U.S. carriers near Iran. Talks between Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked.