Iran is fortifying key locations, including the nuclear site at Pickaxe Mountain, and its rebuilt ballistic missile factories, against the threat of renewed war. It is taking Trump at his word — no attack on Iran will be launched before the midterm elections on November 4 but then, all bets are off, unless Iran agrees to a deal to halt and dismantle its nuclear program. More on how Iran is preparing for a new round of war can be found here: “Iran fortifies nuclear sites, rebuilds missile arsenal as it prepares for the next war – analysis,” by Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, October 13, 2026:
“Iran is fortifying its defenses, rallying loyalists and threatening a wider, harsher response against the US and its Gulf allies as it prepares for potential American attacks after the midterms and seeks to deter them,” the article noted.
This comes amid a flurry of other reports suggesting that the US or Israel could return to fighting Iran.
Maariv said over the weekend that the United States had pressured Israel to carry out strikes against Iran. Both Israel and the US have upcoming elections. Any strikes could affect the elections.
Fortunately, the Israelis have rejected Washington’s call for Israel to strike Iran alone. Were it to do so, that would only confirm the image of Israel as a warmonger, and provide the excuse for Iran to strike not just Israeli targets, but through its agents and proxies abroad, Jewish targets worldwide.
PBS reported on Sunday that “Iran has continued to reject a deal with the US. The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says Tehran finds the latest response from the United States ‘insufficient’ as efforts at negotiations to end the war and fully open the Strait of Hormuz limp along.”
The picture being painted is of an Iran that continues attempting to rebuild its missile and drone program.
In March, Israel’s prime minister said that the Islamic Republic could no longer produce ballistic missiles due to its hammering by US and Israeli strikes. There was also an optimistic assessment about how many Iranian launchers had been destroyed and how many missiles were “corked” in their depots by collapsing routes to the missiles….
“Satellite images show Iran is strengthening sensitive locations, including nuclear sites and border areas, to make them more resilient to attacks. The government is also preparing Iranians for renewed war, sending paramilitary forces to read war stories to kindergartners, advertising training in firing shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles, and holding rallies,” the report added.
The Iranian government is preparing the entire population for war, from the war stories read to kindergartners to inflame them against the American and Israeli enemies, to the training now being offered to the public in firing shoulder-mounted missiles, and, of course, the endless mass rallies that the regime organizes, where cries of “death to America” and “death to Israel” are de rigueur.
So far, the Americans have failed to open the Strait of Hormuz sufficiently — there is still a 95% decrease in the prewar tanker traffic through the Strait, and that has caused great hardship, with the rise in the price of gasoline and diesel in both the U.S. and in Europe. The American blockade of Iranian ports, preventing the country from exporting its own oil and other goods, has devastated the Iranian economy, but the fanatics in control in Tehran do not care about the impoverishment of their own population, as long as it does not threaten their regime’s existence.
The WSJ noted that “Iranian officials have hinted that their forces could conduct land incursions into neighboring countries, according to people familiar with the warnings.”
The Iranians have threatened that if the Americans attack, they will not respond just by attacking American bases in the region, but may use land forces to invade its neighbors, presumably including the UAE, Dubai, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Would the resulting intra-Islamic fighting, from the viewpoint of the world’s Infidels, be a bad thing? Wouldn’t it use up men, materiel, and morale, on all sides, and lead to an even wider fracture between Shia Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbors?
The Saudis are in a panic. Houthi drones have hit their main airport four times, and is currently shut down. Despite spending $83 billion on weapons in just the last year, and despite Saudi Arabia’s huge fleet of 917 military aircraft, including F-15s, Eurofighter Typhons, Panavia Trnados, Lockeed C-130. Hercules and Airbus tankers, they have been unable to stop the Houthis, or to inflict enough damage from the air to push the Houthis back from the territory they have just seized in southwestern Yemen.
The Saudis have asked for American help, and so far it has been denied. It has a recently-signed mutual defense pact with Turkey and Pakistan, but so far, no forces from either country have arrived in the kingdom. The Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s airport have been a humiliation for Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, who must also be worrying about attacks on the vast cities now under construction as part of the NEOM project in Tabuk Province. How many hundreds of billions have already been spent on this project, that swarms of Houthi missiles and drones could potentially devastate?
By the end of the year, we should know if the Houthis can widen their targets to include other Saudi cities and airbases, and inflict even more damage than they already have, or whether, with Turkish and Pakistani help, the Saudis can keep the Houthis bottled up in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia’s new allies can pound them in a massive air campaign.
As for Iran, it is preparing for war even as its economy craters. It may be surprised. The Americans and Israelis may choose not to attack militarily, but to let the economic war on Iran take its toll, to trigger the kind of internal revolt — with tens of millions of impoverished Iranians marching in the streets — that can bring down the regime.
Wellington says
For all those who think positively about the Iranian people, I would ask how much more will it take for said people to do what is right by doing all possible to end the hideous regime which has run Iran since 1979?
I want to be very clear, unambiguously so. Here it is: It is arguable that the single most pathetic people on the planet, bar none—and there are of course many other contenders—are the Iranians. Sick of them because any people who would do so little in so many ineffective ways over half a century to get rid of a regime, which makes other totalitarian Islamic regimes not as much of a menace to geopolitical and economic stability as this Iranian regime has been, is indeed a woeful, inept and pathetic people. Here I nominate the Iranian people #1. What a sad-ass excuse for a people they are.
That the world would be better off if the Iranians simply didn’t exist is beyond an easy call. I am exceedingly tired of hearing about what an impressive and educated people they are. No, they are not and more than any other single people they are effing up really wonderful things like the world economy and geopolitical and military stability.
The two threats says
“…It is arguable that the single most pathetic people on the planet, bar none…”
Umm, the Palestinians have just entered the room.
Wellington says
Yes, a fine “candidate” indeed but considering all the advantages the Persians have historically had compared to the so-called Palestinians I would argue that my selection for #1 in this dubious category is still very much a sterling selection.
David Grisez says
When there is a powerful totalitarian regime in power with a powerful army and police force to back them up, it becomes very difficult for the people of that nation to overthrow the totalitarian regime. Before this war with Iran started there was a big uprising of the Iranian people to try to overthrow the Shite Islamic leadership. The Shite Islamic leadership fought back and killed thousands of its own people. If I remember correctly in a short time around 40,000 people of Iran ended up dead. A totalitarian leadership like this Shite Ayatollah leadership does not care how many people must end up dead for them to retain their power and control. This is why the right to bear arms is important. When any totalitarian regime rises to power they will take away all arms from the people so that they cannot fight back.
Jimmy says
So true !
Just look at what the democrats are trying to do in America.
Jimmy says
So true !!
Just look at what the democrats are trying to do in America !!!
Rob Porter says
Well, Wellington, maybe you’ll nominate the Qataris and Saudi Arabians “sad-ass excuse #2.” For years they’ve been spending billions in Western countries on mosques and undermining subversive educational programmes that even the U.S. has not stopped, so we learn of of billions of dollars given to Harvard and other universities to influence what and how Islam is presented to gullible young students. Now we see that the Qataris and Saudis cannot effectively fight off the severely wounded Iran. If Iran invades and over-runs Qatar, glory hallelujah, what a delight! – but I will not say” “All praise to Allah”. If the Qataris and Saudi had spent more of their Western indoctrination money on decent militaries they might be able to fight their way out of a wet paper bag. Even with all its aircraft Saudi Arabia cannot flatten the Houthis. Why? Because when put the test they ask for U.S. help, too useless to do the job themselves. Beyond pathetic, but they’re ‘good’ at publicly executing citizens who convert to Christianity. All of this puts in perspective Trump’s Board of Peace, its riddled with enemies playing allies.
Raja says
Rob, your reply to Wellington’s makes interesting points. There is barely anything I have disagreed with Wellington, Infidel or for that matter even Somehistoy, who has been focussing on islime. Overall, I am enlightened about islime at JW though I knew how vile and despicable islime is in the year 1991 though a proselyte who only lied all the time.I “strayed” into JW because Google led me here with a search -evil islam some 13 years back. Now if you key in evil-islam it may lead you to some blackhole.
The scourge of islime is there for every eye to see. It became more profound after the oil boom. So as wise men/women in JW have said it is better if that ideology is “never allowed to allow to prosper by any name”. I personally believe Ishmael, who was prophesized to be wicked needs to handled with lots of care, more so the evil religion that emanates from his descendants.
Wellington says
The Qataris and Saudis, Rob Porter, are very much in their own way a drag on the world and especially the West (and even taking into account recent welcome changes in SA as detailed by Infidel here at JW). For that matter, all of the Islamic world is a negative one way or another, but no Islamic nation has disrupted world affairs, including of course economic affairs, never mind by way of the sheer barbarism of terrorism, more than the Iranians have over the past half century. And I fear that while most Iranians detest the Iranian regime they are not made of the “stuff” that overthrows such a regime. I would prefer to be wrong about this but I think I am not.
There is something truly dismal and woeful about the Persian people and what the Hell more do they need to finally take back their nation, unless of course they expect others to do so and which would only prove my point about them. Even Arabs are not such a menace to world stability as the Iranians have been and it’s pretty bad when you have to put the word “even” before “Arabs.” Well, the old line is that every people have the government they deserve—never more true than with the Persians.
Stive says
I know few believe me, but trump is evil and stopped Israel and Pahlavi from finishing off the regime and drags it all out to do the great reset. Trump saved hamas. Trump saved hezbolla. Trump.wants zelenskyy to not win. Trump rather than deport mamdani for naturalization fraud praises him in the white house. Trump loves Syrian head chopper jolani. Forget trumps good words, trump is evil, messing up the world. And no where to turn, as democrats will do the same thing but with pushback. Because it’s trump, no patriotic pushback. He is Apollo the destroyer who only wants sister golden hairs around him.
Wellington says
Stive: Oh please. Get a grip. Whatever deficiencies Trump has, and such are there, he is still in our era the single best hope for the West to survive.
Yes, the West needs even more than Trump but to call him evil is absurd and casts you as a non-serious thinker. Please in the future try to differentiate being evil from making mistakes. You should at least attempt this.
Rob Porter says
Trump’s approach to fighting and winning a war is utterly hopeless, If after the U.S. two-day attack he had kept going and destroyed Irans it’s industrial capacity, flattened factories, it would not have new missiles, or air defences. Now what exists is a mess with renewed attacks confronting what Israel destroyed,
Wellington says
Rob Porter: Not utterly hopeless but certainly not optimal. I wrote the President back In June (and I got a nice but formulaic reply) stating that while his desire to deny the Iranian regime nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and continued support for proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah were all spot on, the number one priority had to be getting rid of this Iranian regime in its entirety.
I analogized in my missive to the President to Nazi Germany by stating that continuing trying to make any deal with the present Iranian regime would have been like dealing with what was left of the Nazi regime in the Spring of 1945 after Admiral Doenitz became the second Fuhrer following Hitler’s suicide. No, the entire regime had to go and both FDR and Eisenhower knew this.
I fear a weakness in Trump, though a man of many strengths and talents which very few others possess, is thinking he can make a deal with anyone. He can’t. And herein lies the essence of it all and I can only hope that Trump, a man I admire and voted for three times, has finally realized this. Verdict still out.
David Grisez says
There are two things that are needed to put an end to this war with Iran. One thing is that all of the old Shite Islamic leadership must be removed from their government position. The next thing is that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard must be completely destroyed. Until these things happen there will be war with Iran and Iran causing problems.
Walter Sieruk says
Of course, that “mullah regime” is preparing for war. It always had been, even before this current deadly conflict that aggressive and combative jihad based mindset of those dictators of tyrannical Islamic regime of Iran have not really given up on their evil goal enriching uranium for nuclear weapons.
That brutal cruel malicious murderous vicious tyrannical Islamic regime is, in essence, completely evil.
It should be made known that if the founder of the current Islamic tyranny, Ayatollah Khomeini would still be alive today, he would spit on those Westerners who say that “Islam is a non-violent religion.”
If Ayatollah Khomeini had clearly announced that “Those who know nothing about Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war….There are hundreds psalms and hadiths urging of Muslims to value war and to fight. …I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim.” [1] So if he was alive today who would spit on those Westerners who say that “Islam is a non-violent religion.” [1]
There are also many places in the Qu ‘ran that instruct in violence and killing for the cause of Islam. As found in ,for example Surah 2:191. 4:89.. 5:33. 9:5, 111,112 ,123. 47:4.
.
It should be made known that if the founder of the current Islamic tyranny, Ayatollah Khomeini would still be alive today, he would spit on those Westerners who say that “Islam is a non-violent religion.”
If Ayatollah Khomeini had clearly announced that “Those who know nothing about Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war….There are hundreds psalms and hadiths urging of Muslims to value war and to fight. …I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim.” [1] So if he was alive today who would spit on those Westerners who say that “Islam is a non-violent religion.” [1]
There are also many places in the Qu ‘ran that instruct in violence and killing for the cause of Islam. As found in ,for example Surah 2:191. 4:89.. 5:33. 9:5, 111,112 ,123. 47:4.
Therefore, the United States and the State of Israel should definitely continue using the power of a strong military might against those savage despots of that “mullah regime’ of Iran.
For it all comes down to the basic rule which is “Destroy or be destroyed.” For that belligerent and bellicose regime has as to of its main themes “Death to the USA., “:and “Death to Israel “
Therefore using American Air Force and Israeli air force strikes against that dangerous tyrannical Islam of Iran is an action of basic self-defense.
As the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe, rightly and wisely, in a speech had declared, “The right to self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.”
[1] THE ISLAM IN ISLAMIC TERRORISM by Ibn Warraq page 339.
Walter Sieruk says
The use of a very strong might of the power of US and Israeli airstrikes against those despots, and their vicious thugs in uniform, the IRGC is a very fitting way that those dangerous hostile and menacing fiendish villains Islamic regime need to and should be dealt with.
As the third President of the United Sates , Thomas Jefferson had, so rightly and wisely, declare, “With every barbarous people….force is law.’
Furthermore, when it comes to the subject of the United States with that war which she had against that of dangerous and menacing Islamic tyranny of Iran.. There should have been be no negotiations whatsoever with the representatives of that Islamic regime, because they and the despots who head that horrendous Islamic tyranny are lairs and will have no intention of keeping their promise on anything that they might sign. Such a printed “peace agreement wouldn’t be worth the paper that it’s printed on.
Those six words are true and right, which are “Khamenei is dead. “Finish the regime.”
For it’s best to finish the job, as in “Get it over with ‘by eliminating that horrific tyrannical regime, once and for all. As it had been, rightly and wisely. “Half-measures in war is madness and folly.”
In addition, President Trump had used the word “Lunatic” when referring to those in charge and power of that hostile Islamic tyranny of Iran. Lunatics are irrational, in their case they are irrational because of the blind unquestioning fanatical in a doctrine of Islam of a future coming of an Islamic messiah who has the title of the Mahdi.
That Mahdi they believe will come and conquer the entire world for Islam but only when in Iran and the Middle East and the whole word gets worst, not better. Therefore, by their own faulty Islamic worldview “reasoning” they would have no incentive to have honest negotiations about not going nuclear, as in not obtaining nuclear weapons. Neither would they want to stop arming with deadly weapons to murderous Muslim terrorist entities, as Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi which are that Islamic regime’s stooge terror/ murder groups.
Lunatic cannot be reason with such dangerous characters will not respond to logic. So those deluded madmen and their regime need to and must and should be eliminated by force, once and for all.
For the sake and safety and security of America, the other Western countries, for the Iranian people, for Israel, and for all the civilized nations of the world.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
One of the rare times I completely disagree w/ Hugh
While the US has done a fantastic job of choking Iran to the point that the pain has reached even the IRGC rank & file, it’s pretty clueless about the targets it should pick. On one hand, it’s contemplating blowing up Iranian infrastructure – bridges, power plants, refineries: all this will make the humanitarian crisis in Iran even worse. Otoh, you have our illustrious POTUS musing that he shouldn’t have wiped out too many islamic leaders, b’cos now he has no idea of who to talk to. How about nobody, Mr POTUS? Also, it wasn’t the US: it was Israel that eliminated Khamenei and his entire leadership, the Assembly of Experts, Larijani, et al. Having brought up his base to oppose all regime change, that’s an idea completely alien to him, even though it’s the only one that will permanently solves this century long issue
Israel otoh has the right formula, even though it is more militarily constrained about the magnitude of what it can do. In the first round, they focussed on the targets that mattered
1. The islamic leadership – starting w/ Khamenei but also his aides like Ali Shamkhani, Abdolrahim Mousavi & others: it was the death of those others that was a death blow to the islamic republic
2. The assembly of Experts going to elect the next Supreme Leader. Once they were all blown away, an internal “regime change” happened – transferring power from the Supreme Leaders to the IRGC
3. Ali Larijani – the head of the IRGC weeks later
Aside from that, in the days following Khamenei’s killing, Israeli drones went after IRGC & Basij checkpoints and even after their armored personnel, whenever they tried suppressing revolting Iranians. It was going on well until President Trump’s inane move to suspend the war, even forcing Israel to do so
So now, if Israel has been given the go-ahead, they should seize this opportunity and do it, even if the timing looks suspect in trying to help Netanyahu win his election on October 27th. Here’s what they should do:
⮞ Recognize Reza Pahlavi and his transition team as the temporary legitimate government of Iran, and start working w/ them to enable them to take control
⮞ Whenever they resume military operations, don’t target their civil infrastructure like refineries or bridges. Target every member of the leadership, no matter which faction. Take out Pezeshkian, Ghalibaf, Ejei, Rezaei, Vahidi, Rouhani, Zarif, Araghchi and anybody who is anybody in the IRGC and Basij leadership. As well as the Artesh top brass. So that there is nobody left in the islamic leadership for the durqhas to rally around
⮞ Finally, have their drones blow up IRGC/Basij security checkpoints in every city, and put them on the run. Then let the Pahlavi team signal Iranians to rise, and let the Israeli drones target any IRGC security forces that try to contain the uprising Until the collapse of the IRGC is as obvious as the collapse of the Ba’ath in Syria
Do all this, and then let the Iranian people sort it out. Then the US and Israel can both peacefully help the Pahlavi transition team take over power, and transition to the new referendums and eventually elections. Also work w/ Iran to build multiple refineries and also let Chabahar suppliment Kharg Island, so that Iran doesn’t have a single choke point. After that, the Iranians can start working on their various issues, such as water, the economy and so on
commonsense says
Infidel, I wish you were an advisor to our president. You would be invaluable…if he were to actually listen to and follow your recommendations. Do you write a column anywhere or do podcasts? If not, you should.
OLD GUY says
Fighting this war with Iran is currently like building a high rise building. The longer you let it sit unfinished the better the chase it will deteriorate and crumble down. For God sake finish the job and take Iran down.
Huh!?! says
I believe Trump’s idea of making a deal is to save lives. This is a noble effort. However, there is nothing noble about Islam. Since Islam knows Trump will not attack until after the mid-terms Iran is rebuilding military abilities. This is a mistake to let up on Iran. Uncle Sam needs to keep pounding Iran. I don’t see why Trump is connecting this with the mid-terms. Unless the idea is to get conservatives out to vote. I see no reason to tie the mid-terms to Iran. I believe it would be best for Trump to end the filibuster now and declare a state of emergency. As the mid-terms are upon us, do not sit this out. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. Vote! Vote! Vote!
somehistory says
The mindset of devout adherents to the evil slime
“The chilling letters Yahya Sinwar’s son, 10, sent his father”
“The 10-year-old son of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, wrote about killing Jewish people in letters to his father.
Ibrahim Sinwar drew pictures of tanks and rifles and wrote that he wanted to “pick up a Kalashnikov and shoot Jews”.
The letters were discovered shortly after Sinwar’s death in October 2024, Israeli media reported at the time, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has now shared the contents with The Telegraph. Two experts said they appeared to be genuine.”
The article has more of what the kid wrote to his muzzie father.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/the-chilling-letters-yahya-sinwar-s-son-10-sent-his-father/ar-AA2eie9q?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=6ad1c0a107c149da8cb6952dd5ff1ece&ei=17