Washington Warns Allies of Military Round with Iran That Could Last Days
Key Facts
The United States has told regional allies that a new military round against Iran could last several days, and urged them to prepare for the possibility of an Iranian response targeting energy facilities and critical infrastructure, the Associated Press reported. At the same time, two diplomats briefed on Washington’s warnings said President Donald Trump had not made a final decision on launching new strikes. They added that he had repeatedly discussed taking action after the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November 3. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump "has not made a decision" and that he had no announcement on the matter. The warning and diplomatic effort are proceeding on parallel tracks, with the timing of any U.S. action still uncertain.
On the diplomatic track, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a new proposal reached with intermediaries could shorten to two days the time needed to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He added that Iranian diplomats were in Qatar for talks. Araghchi had proposed the previous month reopening the waterway within a week in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade of Iranian ports, releasing frozen Iranian assets and lifting sanctions on oil sales, among other conditions. The Associated Press reported that the earlier offer was rejected. Tehran does not plan to meet with U.S. officials, according to Araghchi, but he described Washington’s recent efforts toward a "broader dialogue" as a positive step.
The proposed Iranian formula includes conditions for managing shipping if the strait is reopened. Mohsen Rezaei said ships would take a route agreed by Iran and Oman, and that "everyone passing through this waterway will do so under Iranian management." He added that Tehran was awaiting the latest U.S. response. Meanwhile, the Associated Press quoted Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as saying that "any kind and level of threat" from the United States or Israel must be met with an immediate response without geographical limits. The statements come as Washington has warned allies that Iran could target energy facilities and critical infrastructure in response to any new military action.
The record of damage to U.S. facilities in the region adds context to assessments of escalation risks. An Associated Press analysis found that Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and facilities at U.S. bases between April 1 and June 30, 2026. At Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, at least 30 strikes took place, damaging or destroying at least 15 aircraft hangars and 10 buildings near a residential area. Another agency report said that more than 115 drone or missile strikes, claimed by Iran or groups it supports, had damaged facilities at 26 U.S. military bases and sites by August 2026. These figures highlight the scale of damage the agency documented at U.S. military facilities during the previous period.
On the nuclear file, the Pickaxe Mountain facility is south of the Natanz site, excavation there is ongoing, and International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have been unable to enter it, leaving what is inside unclear, according to the Associated Press. Experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies estimated that the facility believed to be under construction there lies at a depth of between 80 and 100 meters, based on an analysis published in 2023, with continued excavation potentially making the site deeper. A GBU-57 bomb can penetrate at least 60 meters of earth before exploding, according to the U.S. military. U.S. officials have discussed using two bombs of this type in succession, but the effect on a facility at Pickaxe Mountain’s potential depth remains uncertain. The lack of inspector access remains an obstacle to determining the nature of the facility, while Rubio said Trump had not decided whether to resume strikes and that Washington preferred a peaceful solution but was militarily prepared if necessary.