Netanyahu Asks Trump for New Iran Strikes After US Midterms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is asking the Trump administration to launch a new series of attacks on Iran. He wants the strikes to happen after the United States holds its midterm elections on Tuesday. Two regional officials and one person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Netanyahu made the request during a phone call with President Donald Trump over the weekend. Trump did not commit to using military force during that conversation.

Diplomats are simultaneously trying to reach a deal. They are working on a framework where Iran stops attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In exchange, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports. Officials said more talks are planned for this week. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions involve classified briefings from American and Israeli officials.

Iran announced a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days. It will also resume nuclear talks with the United States if Washington meets its demands. Previously, Tehran said the process could take a week if the US met seven conditions. Those conditions include lifting the port blockade, ending sanctions on Iranian oil sales, and agreeing to a ceasefire that includes Lebanon. Ships passing through the strait would follow a route agreed upon by Iran and Oman.

Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said this shorter timeline demonstrates Iran’s good-faith approach. He stated the plan remains the basis for negotiations through mediators. Other Middle East allies are warning against more strikes. A third regional official said they believe additional attacks would destabilize the region. The Israeli government and the White House did not immediately comment on the weekend call.

A vessel transiting the strait was hit by an unknown projectile on Monday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported a hole in the ship but said all crew members were safe. Iran claims it attacks vessels that take unauthorized routes. It also says some ships have hit mines it laid early in the war. The US military denies the mines are present, stating it has cleared all internationally recognized routes.

In Yemen, Houthi rebels accused Saudi Arabia of striking a port on the Red Sea coast. They said the attack set fire to ships. The Houthi-run health ministry reported that explosives hit a market in southwestern Yemen. Seven people died, including five children. Anees al-Asbah, a ministry spokesman, said eight others were wounded, including five children. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment, and The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni military reported a Houthi missile struck a medical center in the Madaribah district of Lahij province. At least five people died, including three medical staff. Fifteen others were wounded, including seven medical workers. A separate Houthi attack on a market in Aqroudh village killed and wounded 26 people in total. China said it will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November to ease tensions.