WASHINGTON.- The United States has privately warned several Middle Eastern countries and regional allies to prepare for possible renewed military action against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections, according to diplomats briefed on the discussions and cited in reports published on Friday, October 30, 2026. President Donald Trump has not taken a final decision on whether to order fresh attacks, those same reports stress — but the warnings, and the aircraft movements behind them, show Washington is getting ready for the possibility.
US officials told regional partners that a new round of strikes could last several days, and warned that Iran could retaliate by targeting energy facilities and other critical infrastructure in response, according to two diplomats cited in the reports. The White House and US officials declined to comment on the reported warnings.
Warplanes in Israel and three Arab nations
At least 10 US military aircraft have reportedly landed in Israel, with others deployed to Arab nations, fuelling speculation about a possible fresh strike on Iran, according to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, cited by Times Now on October 30. The aircraft reportedly landed at the Ovda and Nevatim air bases in southern Israel, while additional US military transport planes were sent to bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The deployments were first reported on Thursday, October 29, as part of a wider US military buildup across the Middle East. According to a report by Anadolu Agency, some of the aircraft departed from Fort Bliss in Texas. The cargo carried by the aircraft has not been officially disclosed, and there has been no official confirmation from Washington that the aircraft were carrying specific weapons systems or that a decision had been taken to launch fresh attacks against Iran.
An Israeli official told KAN that the US and Israel were coordinating closely and preparing for any decision Donald Trump may take regarding military action against Tehran. "Israel and the United States are coordinating closely, and although no decision has yet been made on the matter, the Americans and Israel are preparing for any decision President Donald Trump makes," the official said, according to the report.
The briefing inside the White House
The warnings follow a White House meeting on Thursday in which US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper briefed Donald Trump on possible military options against Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal, cited by The Economic Times live blog on October 30. The meeting, attended by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and top military officials, came amid increased US air defences, munitions and troop repositioning across the Middle East, as the administration weighs a possible resumption of major combat operations.
No decision was announced after that briefing. That distinction matters: what has been reported so far is preparation and warning, not an order to strike.
Tehran and the region respond
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was continuing to give diplomacy a chance and was willing to examine proposals previously put forward as a basis for returning to a ceasefire, according to the reports. The United Arab Emirates urged the parties to exercise restraint and pursue political solutions to contain tensions.
The warnings also carry a second message for the region: governments fear that retaliation by Iran and groups allied with it could prolong any confrontation well beyond the first strikes, threatening energy infrastructure that the whole world depends on. African trade officials warned separately this week that the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran is already driving up fuel and fertiliser prices, posing risks to food security across Africa.
For now, the picture is this: no final decision, a warning to allies to be ready after November 3, warplanes moving into place, and a region bracing for what comes next.
Sources: News Today (October 30, 2026), Times Now / KAN / Anadolu Agency (October 30, 2026), The Economic Times live blog citing The Wall Street Journal (October 30, 2026).