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Mixed messages? Trump says return to Iran war not imminent

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The president’s comments appeared to contrast with his recent threats to give Iran ‘the hammer.’

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he was not planning to immediately resume strikes against Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections, contradicting recent messaging from Washington amid heightened regional tensions.

Trump answered “no” when asked by reporters on Monday if he was planning to launch a new offensive against Iran in the coming days.

The response contrasted with his remarks at a campaign rally in Iowa over the weekend, where he warned that Iran would soon “get the hammer” if it refused to agree to a deal to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also said at a Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday that Iranian nuclear sites remained potential targets for the United States. He singled out the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain facility, where uranium enrichment is believed to take place, saying it could be destroyed within 10 minutes.

The president’s latest comments come as senior administration officials have offered differing assessments of the likelihood of renewed fighting.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said Trump had not yet made up his mind about resuming intense military operations against Iran. Vice President JD Vance has also reportedly sent a letter to Iranian officials urging a diplomatic solution.

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However, reports last week indicated that U.S. officials had warned their counterparts in Gulf countries to brace for possible renewed Iranian attacks, as Washington is planning a short but intense campaign against the Islamic Republic.

During Operation Epic Fury, Iran retaliated by striking U.S. military bases across the region, including in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. Tehran also targeted civilian infrastructure in those countries, including oil refineries and airports.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that if the United States and Israel attack Iran again, the Islamic Republic would respond with unprecedented intensity. In a statement posted to his Telegram channel, Khamenei also suggested that Iran’s retaliation could extend to locations farther away than those targeted during previous rounds of fighting.

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