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The US military is preparing for possible renewed strikes against Iran as fighting intensifies across the Middle East, with Syria considering military support for Saudi Arabia and fresh threats to vital oil shipping routes.
The Pentagon has instructed US Central Command to prepare for renewed military operations against Iran, Axios reported on Thursday.
President Donald Trump has not made a final decision, but military action could take place before the US midterm elections in November.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Hamas could launch attacks to influence Israel’s October 27 election.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Netanyahu said: “Because Hamas is so weak, it will try to challenge us with the remnants of its forces ahead of the election in an attempt to influence it.”
He added: “We are prepared for this. First and foremost, we will thwart such attempts, and in any event, we will respond with overwhelming force if they make that mistake.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered heightened military readiness amid concerns over possible attacks against Israeli forces in Gaza.
The warnings follow the third anniversary of the October 07 attacks, with Netanyahu facing scrutiny over the security failures preceding the Hamas assault in 2023.
The prospect of renewed US military action comes as fighting in Yemen threatens to draw more countries into the conflict.
Syria is considering sending forces to support Saudi Arabia following Houthi missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
A US official and a Syrian defence official told Reuters that Damascus was examining defensive assistance and a possible offensive deployment alongside Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.
No decision has been announced, and Syrian officials have stressed that domestic reconstruction remains a priority.
Saudi authorities said three people were killed in attacks on airports in Riyadh and Abha this week.
The Houthis subsequently claimed further strikes against Riyadh, including a ballistic missile attack targeting King Khalid International Airport.
Pakistan has also become more directly involved in the conflict.
A senior Pakistani military official told the New York Times that Pakistan Air Force fighter jets were being used in strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.
Turkey has separately pledged defensive assistance, including military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems.
The military support comes as Saudi-backed forces attempt to reverse Houthi territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Iran has meanwhile warned neighbouring countries against establishing alternative oil export routes without Tehran’s approval.
A senior regional diplomat briefed by Tehran told Reuters: “Iran has absolutely no intention of allowing control of the Strait of Hormuz to slip from its hands, and has plans ready to block routes that some regional countries have for exporting oil.”
The diplomat added: “This could involve missile and drone attacks on ships, or sending boats to scare ships away.”
The warnings follow a surge in attacks on commercial vessels, with shipping traffic through Hormuz falling to its lowest level in more than two months.
Reuters reported that only seven commodity vessels passed through the strait on Tuesday, the lowest daily figure since July 23.
A chemical tanker was also struck by projectiles off Qatar’s northern coast, raising concerns that attacks could spread further across the Gulf.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Tehran was continuing to examine Washington’s response to a proposal that could allow Hormuz to reopen within seven days.
Araghchi said: “The diplomatic process is still continuing.”
Concerns, however, over Iranian activity are also growing in Europe.
German publication WirtschaftsWoche reported on Thursday that Iranian intelligence services were targeting US military installations in Germany, including Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases.
The report cited Western intelligence officials concerned about possible covert attacks against American personnel and facilities supporting operations against Iran.
The allegations follow a suspected terrorism-related incident near RAF Fairford in Britain last month, which prompted a major counter-terrorism investigation.
Brent crude climbed above $105 a barrel on Thursday as markets reacted to attacks on shipping and the prospect of renewed US military operations against Iran.
The threats to the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, two of the Middle East’s most important maritime energy routes, have increased pressure on oil producers and shipping operators.
With Syria weighing military involvement, Pakistani aircraft reportedly conducting strikes in Yemen and Washington preparing for possible renewed operations against Iran, the fighting threatens to spread further across the region.
