US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call to discuss Iran, according to Trump. The conversation took place amid indirect diplomatic talks between the US and Iran in Qatar.
What happened
Senior Israeli security and political officials stated that Israel is preparing for the possibility of a prolonged war with Iran following the US midterm elections. Military planners believe that fighting could resume between the elections and the swearing-in of the new US Congress. The Israeli officials said any decision to resume military operations ultimately rests with Trump.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have completed both offensive and defensive preparations and remain on high alert. Israel is also preparing for the possibility of an Iranian preemptive strike. Additionally, the IDF has contingency plans to seize southern Lebanese cities and strike Beirut's southern suburbs if Hezbollah enters a renewed conflict.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that contacts with Iran have continued despite tensions between the two countries. Rubio emphasized that Washington would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and that Tehran remains a source of instability in the Middle East.
