Pentagon Prepares for Possible Resumption of Iran War as Oil Tops $100

Axios reports that U.S. Central Command has been ordered to finalize plans for renewed combat operations, even as President Donald Trump predicts the conflict will end soon. A tanker attack off Qatar adds to tensions in the Gulf

The Pentagon has directed U.S. Central Command to complete preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations in Iran, according to Axios, even as President Donald Trump continues to predict that the war will end soon.

The order was issued several days ago, U.S. officials told Axios, but it does not set a date for any new strikes. Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to resume attacks.

American and Israeli sources cited by Axios believe military action could come before the U.S. midterm elections and potentially ahead of Israel’s elections, scheduled for one week earlier.

Trump struck a markedly different tone during an appearance before reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, October 7, insisting that the conflict would be over “very soon.” He also forecast a sharp drop in oil prices once the fighting ends.

“As soon as we finish the war, which will be very soon, it will be really very soon,” Trump said. “One way or another, we’ll get out of it.” He predicted that oil prices could fall to levels “maybe even lower than they were before the war started.”

Yet developments in the Gulf point to continued instability, with commercial shipping facing mounting risks.

A tanker sailing off Qatar’s northern coast came under attack, leaving an unspecified number of casualties, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, known as UKMTO.

The incident occurred as Iran announced the closure of a route through the Strait of Hormuz used to circumvent the naval blockade imposed by Tehran.

The vessel was in the Gulf, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) west of the Strait of Hormuz, when it reported being struck by “several projectiles,” UKMTO said. The agency did not identify the tanker’s country of origin.

The attack comes amid a sharp increase in threats to oil shipping through the strategic waterway. Maritime security companies report that weekly attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz have reached their highest level since the war with Iran began.

Oil prices have meanwhile climbed above $100 a barrel, underscoring the pressure the conflict is putting on energy markets.

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