Iran’s military chief warned that the country would respond immediately to signs of a renewed U.S. attack, as reports of military activity and speculation about further strikes raised concerns that the conflict could resume. (Foto: Instagram)
Iran is preparing to respond if its conflict with the United States resumes after the U.S. midterm elections, which are scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, and will determine all seats in the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate. The warning comes amid reports of new U.S. military activity and speculation that Washington and Israel could launch further attacks after the vote.
On Monday, Nov. 2, Iranian state media and The Wall Street Journal reported what they described as the first U.S. attacks on Iranian territory since September. The reports said a small-scale operation targeted Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, adding to signs that fighting could resume. Iran’s military chief, Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, said the country was monitoring U.S. military movements amid reports that American forces might attack again after the elections.
In a post on X on Oct. 31, Abdollahi said Iran was tracking its adversary’s movements and preparations and updating its target database. He added that if Iran detected signs of hostile action, its armed forces would not wait for an attack to begin before deciding when and how to respond. He said the response would be immediate, forceful and without geographic limits.
Abdollahi made the remarks after a meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and other military officials. At the meeting, Khamenei ordered the country to be ready to respond to any possible U.S. attacks without geographic limits.
The conflict began Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran, saying they sought to prevent the country from building a nuclear weapon. Iran then attacked U.S. positions in neighboring countries and announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The two sides announced a ceasefire on April 8, which was extended twice. In June, they reached a 14-point memorandum of understanding that established another truce and opened talks on a broader peace agreement. The ceasefire broke down on July 7, after President Donald Trump announced a series of attacks on Iran. Trump said the offensive was a response to Iranian strikes on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Operations were paused in mid-August, although attacks by both sides were reported afterward, as negotiations resumed with mediation by other countries.
Talks between Washington and Tehran intensified late last week, when Iranian representatives traveled to Qatar, which is mediating the current discussions alongside Pakistan. Iran presented a seven-step proposal during the talks; the United States had not responded by the time the report was published. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported on Oct. 22 that U.S. and Israeli forces had held joint military exercises aimed at preparing a new campaign against Tehran after the U.S. elections. Asked about the possibility on Oct. 28, Trump said “anything is possible.”
On Monday, Tucker Carlson, a journalist and former Trump ally, also warned that the war could resume, describing a possible conflict as “short and final.” In an article posted on X, Carlson alleged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressuring Trump to carry out a nuclear strike on a site in central Iran after losing an election in Israel. Carlson’s reported rationale was that Iran’s government had resumed uranium enrichment at the site. Neither Washington nor Tel Aviv had officially commented on the possibility of renewed war after the U.S. elections.
