The Wall Street Journal reported the US has told several Gulf Arab countries to get ready for a short but heavy military campaign against Iran after the November midterm elections. Officials briefed on the talks said Washington is reinforcing defenses, moving a Patriot battery in from Texas, restocking munitions, shifting troops off vulnerable bases, and lining up more ships and aircraft including another carrier group. Trump has not signed off on anything final and still talks about diplomacy as an option, though people familiar with his thinking say he is leaning toward a large strike that could hit Iranian infrastructure and nuclear sites. Israel has its own plans ready. Gulf states worry about retaliation on their energy facilities. Separately the US Navy advised ships to skip unnecessary trips through the Strait of Hormuz because of the blockade and possible delays, as Iranian attacks on vessels have hit nearly 30 this month while oil flows have mostly recovered. Pentagon figures reviewed by Reuters put US spending on the Iran war above $47 billion so far, more than 25 percent higher than the July estimate, with over $29 billion to replace munitions and more than $6 billion for lost equipment. The total does not fully cover repairs to bases hit by Iranian missiles and drones.
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