Netanyahu urges Trump to strike Iran again after midterm elections

American voters will face a renewed risk of military conflict in the Middle East if U.S. President Donald Trump agrees to another strike on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for that decision. Two regional officials and one person familiar with the matter said Netanyahu wants a new wave of attacks after the U.S. midterm elections held on Tuesday. A return to full-scale war could help Netanyahu form an emergency government after his coalition lost its parliamentary majority in last week’s Israeli elections.

Diplomatic efforts are currently underway. Qatari mediators held two rounds of talks with Iranian officials last week. They are trying to create a framework where Iran stops attacking in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. More talks are planned for this week. The officials who spoke to reporters described these conversations as classified briefings from American and Israeli leaders.

Netanyahu spoke with Trump over the weekend to press for a quick but extensive air campaign. A person briefed on the call said Trump did not commit to military action. Trump told reporters on Sunday that he had a very good call with Netanyahu and that they discussed Iran. He gave no other details. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the administration prefers a diplomatic solution. He noted that Trump has not made a final decision but has incredible confidence in military action if needed.

Other U.S. allies in the region warn against more strikes. A third regional official said additional attacks could destabilize the area. It could lead Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen to increase attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping. Iran-backed militias in Iraq could also become involved. The Israeli government and the White House did not directly comment on the weekend call or the potential for new strikes.

Iran says it is prepared for both war and diplomacy. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader, met with military chiefs. He said the response to any threat from the U.S. or Israel should be immediate and without geographic limits. He urged an expansion of the list of potential targets. Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the opening strikes on Feb. 28 killed his father, the previous supreme leader. Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei told state television that the tone from the U.S. has completely changed. He called this a very good sign but said he had not responded to a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

The standoff in the Gulf is straining relations. Andreas Krieg, a professor at King’s College London, said the conflict is really between Qatar and Israel. He noted that Qatar is working on a diplomatic offramp while Israel looks for military solutions. October saw the most attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz since March. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash told attendees at the Manama Dialogue security summit in Bahrain that the U.S. and Iranian stances are far apart. He said if these positions are not bridged, the worst outcome must be worried about. China will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November. Chinese President Xi Jinping told Oman’s sultan that the Gulf region should not become an arena for great-power rivalry.