World

Trump and Netanyahu Discuss Timing of Iran Strikes, Sources Say

By AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, November 1, 2026, about the timing and possibility of increasing combat operations against Iran, Axios reported. The conversation, described by a U.S. official as “direct” and an Israeli source as “tough,” focused on the state of negotiations with the Islamic Republic. Netanyahu urged Trump to launch strikes on Iran immediately after the U.S. midterm elections, while Trump expressed a preference for letting negotiations continue. Throughout the eight‑month war, Trump has pursued a dual strategy: conducting airstrikes and other attacks while seeking a deal to restart peace talks and fully open the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas traffic. On October 31, 2026, Trump told reporters that negotiations with Iran were “going fine” and that one or two targets remained to be addressed. He also noted that Washington was not in a hurry to take offensive action because it had already weakened Iran’s military and nuclear program. The talks followed Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei’s disclosure on October 31 that he had received a letter from U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance requesting a revival of stalled talks. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on October 30 for talks with Iranian officials, indicating renewed interest in negotiations. Trump faces significant political pressure over the West Asia war, as U.S. midterm voters are upset over rising gas prices and other cost‑of‑living increases, potentially influencing the election. Published – November 2, 2026 02:04 am IST