Will Trump attack Iran this week? 5 big signs the big strike is coming

American warships are moving towards Iran, Israeli jets have rehearsed strikes, and US President Trump has threatened the underground Pickaxe Mountain facility. With the November 3 US midterms out of the way, and Israeli PM Netanyahu reportedly pressing Trump for renewed attacks, five developments signal the possibility of a major strike soon.

In Short

• US moves warships, 9,000 personnel towards Iran amid fresh war fears
• Israel rehearses Iran strikes as Trump threatens Pickaxe Mountain site
• Netanyahu pushes for post-midterm strikes as US warns Gulf allies of war

American warships are moving towards Iran. Israeli fighter jets have rehearsed an attack route. And, US President Donald Trump has identified a heavily fortified Iranian nuclear-linked facility as a potential target. The US and Israel have also prepared plans for renewed strikes on Iran, according to reports citing officials. With the US midterm elections out of the way on November 3, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly pressing Trump to launch another major assault on Iran. These developments have raised fears that the eight-month-old war could enter another deadly phase within days.

The trigger is the end of the US midterm elections on Tuesday, after which Trump has indicated that he has kept open the option of renewed attacks on Iran. American and Israeli forces had reportedly been close to launching strikes in October, but Trump held back, apparently unwilling to risk another surge in oil prices before Americans voted on October 3.

The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, in which they killed former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This followed an earlier round of attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. Since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, the conflict has seen big airstrikes, Iranian retaliation and attacks on regional energy infrastructure in the US-allied Gulf nations. Although large-scale military operations have subsided, the confrontation continued through economic pressure, naval blockades and sporadic attacks.

With the crucial midterms in sight, Trump has repeatedly held back from launching any major offensive, even as Israel has pushed for renewed strikes on Iran. With the crucial US midterm elections set to conclude, reports of military deployments, ready strike plans and mounting Israeli pressure have heightened fears and speculations that Trump — looking for a face-saving exit — could launch another major attack on Iran within days. Here are five developments suggesting that Iran could face renewed US-Israeli strikes.

1. US MOVES AIRCRAFT CARRIER, 9,000 PERSONNEL TOWARDS IRAN

The Pentagon has reinforced its military presence in the Middle East. It has moved the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and amphibious landing ships carrying Marines towards the Persian Gulf.

The Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego in the US on September 27, according to the US Naval Institute (USNI). An Associated Press report on October 28 noted that the deployment involved roughly 9,000 military personnel. An American official told the news agency that the reinforcements could increase the US naval presence in the region to more than 20,000 sailors and Marines, backed by hundreds of aircraft.

Such a concentration of US military power would give Washington considerable operational options against Iran, if Trump decides to go for an onslaught.

2. ISRAEL REHEARSES STRIKES, JOINT ATTACK PLANS READY

Israel has already demonstrated how its aircraft could approach Iran for a fresh round of strikes. On October 19, dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refuelling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq towards the Iranian border. They turned around before entering Iranian airspace.

According to an Axios report, Israel informed Washington beforehand and described the exercise as "power projection", aimed at deterring Iran.

Some American officials, however, suspected that Israel wanted to provoke an Iranian response. A day later, ABC News reported that the US and Israel had developed plans for renewed joint strikes, citing two Israeli sources.

The New York Times also reported that potential targets included Iranian nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and missile and drone arsenals.

In a November 1 analysis, The Jerusalem Post's senior military correspondent, Yonah Jeremy Bob, described how American and Israeli forces had previously divided Iranian targets into operational sectors. The preparations suggest that military planning has progressed even as warnings have been delivered by Trump.

3. TRUMP IDENTIFIES PICKAXE MOUNTAIN AS A TARGET

Trump has also named a specific Iranian installation that could face attack. Speaking to reporters in Florida on October 31, Trump said the US still had nuclear-related targets to deal with.

"We've knocked out their nuclear [system]. We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes," Trump said, according to AFP. He specifically identified Pickaxe Mountain, a buried facility near Iran's Natanz nuclear complex. The installation, also known as Kolang Gaz La, has attracted attention because its underground tunnels could potentially protect sensitive nuclear equipment.

Earlier, in an October 15 interview with Newsmax, Trump had raised the possibility of using the GBU-43/B, known as the "mother of all bombs", against Iran. He specifically threatened to strike Pickaxe Mountain.

On November 2, American commentator Tucker Carlson went further and claimed that Netanyahu was pressuring Trump to consider a nuclear strike against the facility.

"Close observers say Trump is likely to decide by next weekend whether or not to use nuclear weapons," Carlson wrote on X.

He identified November 7 as a possible decision date, but provided no evidence that Trump was considering nuclear weapons.

4. NOVEMBER 3 MIDTERMS COULD OPEN STRIKE WINDOW

November 3 midterm polls could become a turning point. Earlier in October, Trump ruled out strikes before the midterms, but left open the possibility of military action afterwards. Meanwhile, Israel has been pushing for a quicker decision.

According to an Axios report, Netanyahu urged Trump during an October 31 telephone conversation to attack immediately after the elections. Trump reportedly preferred allowing negotiations more time.

Netanyahu also faces political uncertainty at home. Israel's October 27 election left his bloc with 53 seats, short of the 61 required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Tucker Carlson has claimed that Netanyahu needs another confrontation to strengthen his political position. However, that's an interpretation and is unverified.

5. US WARNS GULF ALLIES TO BRACE FOR IRANIAN RETALIATION

The fifth indication comes from Washington's private warnings to governments in the Middle East. On October 28, the Associated Press, citing two diplomats briefed on the discussions, reported that American officials had advised several regional allies to prepare for potential US strikes after the elections.

They were also warned that Iran could retaliate against energy facilities and other critical infrastructure.

US officials reportedly indicated that renewed military operations might last several days, although regional governments feared that Iranian retaliation could prolong the fighting.

In the third week of October, Washington ordered non-essential US diplomatic staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militia, according to CBS News. While other American embassies in the region also adjusted staffing, the State Department clarified that mandatory departures applied only to Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Tehran has repeatedly threatened to attack American and Israeli targets in neighbouring countries if strikes resume. Iran, meanwhile, has remained unrelenting on the question of uranium enrichment, refusing to give up what it considers its sovereign nuclear rights. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would not compromise on its nuclear policy.

But, diplomacy has also remained active. On Sunday, November 1, Reuters reported that Iranian representatives and Qatari mediators had held a third consecutive day of talks in Doha. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran is prepared for both defence and diplomacy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said on October 31 that Trump had not decided whether to attack again and preferred a diplomatic solution.

But, the military preparations are real, and so are the warnings. They are indicative of the big one. Will they lead to another American attack this week depends on a decision Trump has not publicly made.

- Ends