LIVE 📰 9 sources 10 articles · 21 Oct 2026, 07:48 → 38 minutes ago

Report: Netanyahu planned an Iran strike on 10 October and Trump blocked it

The Financial Times published a report saying Israel had prepared a plan for a wide attack on Iran scheduled for 10 October 2026, targeting nuclear facilities, power stations, civilian infrastructure and targets belonging to the Iranian regime. Citing three sources, the newspaper said US President Donald Trump halted the plan because he opposed resuming the war before the US midterm elections, and that Washington and Tel Aviv might resume the war in the coming weeks.

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Updates automatically · Reports: 10

📍 The plan was not carried out because of US opposition, while the report said resuming the war on Iran is possible in the coming weeks.

📍 Where things stand: The plan was not carried out because of US opposition, while the report said resuming the war on Iran is possible in the coming weeks.

⏱️ Timeline

21 Oct 2026, 07:48 The Financial Times reported that US President Donald Trump opposed resuming the war with Iran before the congressional elections.
21 Oct 2026, 07:48 The newspaper said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to attack Iran on 10 October, and that Trump prevented the strike from being carried out.
21 Oct 2026, 08:17 Citing three sources, the newspaper said the Israeli army had planned attacks on Iran about a week and a half earlier, targeting civilian infrastructure, power stations and nuclear facilities, that the attack was scheduled for Saturday 10.10.2026, and that Washington and Tel Aviv might resume the war on Iran in the coming weeks.
21 Oct 2026, 08:40 The report added, citing the same three sources, that Israel had established a new civilian target bank.
21 Oct 2026, 08:44 The Financial Times said Netanyahu instructed the army to plan a wide attack on Iran earlier in October, targeting civilian infrastructure, electricity stations, nuclear facilities and targets of the Iranian regime; the campaign was to be carried out on the weekend of 10 October but was not executed because Trump opposed resuming the conflict before the midterm elections.
21 Oct 2026, 09:12 According to three sources, the plan included a multi-day bombing campaign targeting power stations, nuclear facilities and sites belonging to the Iranian regime, and was not carried out because of White House opposition.
21 Oct 2026, 09:26 The newspaper said the planned attacks were to be more intense than the "Rising Lion" operation, and that US officials warned of an Iranian response.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

How the sources covered it

Some coverage limited itself to the headline that Trump stopped Israel from attacking Iran, while others focused on the plan's details, targets, timing and its three sources, and one added a comparison with a previous operation and warnings of an Iranian response.

lebanon debate Presented the news in two brief, successive headlines: first Trump's opposition to resuming the war before the congressional elections, then Netanyahu's plan to attack Iran on 10 October and Trump's blocking of the strike, without further details.
PANET Focused on the targets (civilian infrastructure, power stations and nuclear facilities) and on attributing the information to three sources, adding that Washington and Tel Aviv might resume the war in the coming weeks.
annahar.com Its coverage highlighted that Netanyahu instructed the army to plan a wide attack, listed the targets including those of the Iranian regime, and linked the halt to Trump's opposition to resuming the conflict before the midterm elections.
وكالة وطن للأنباء Opened with the headline "Trump halts an Israeli plan", attributed the information to three informed sources, and cited the targets, the weekend timing of 10 October and Trump's opposition before the midterm elections.
Euronews.com Described the plan as a multi-day bombing campaign, said Netanyahu ordered the army to prepare it, and referred to White House opposition and to a statement by a deputy ... (truncated text) in its coverage.
شبكة مصدر الاخبارية Added that the attacks were to be more intense than the "Rising Lion" operation, and that US officials warned of an Iranian response.