US senator: Trump's plan to restart Iran war is 'insane'

Speaking at a Middle East Institute event, Sen. Chris Murphy said he and colleagues had received a classified briefing on “what the war plan would be if we restarted military operations.” He said officials described a “short-duration plan” and warned it “will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law,” adding that open reporting indicates civilian infrastructure may be targeted. Middle East Eye reported that Murphy said the US base in Bahrain is “obliterated” and the base in Qatar is usable only at reduced capacity, and that the Pentagon told Congress the war had cost $47.1bn.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington has told several Arab states of the Persian Gulf to prepare for a short, intense military campaign after the US midterms, and that US forces are restocking munitions and moving a Patriot system from Texas to Israel. CNN, citing unnamed officials, reported that Trump has not made a final decision but appears to be leaning toward major action, with a target list including Iranian energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities.

Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council, called Murphy’s remarks “a chilling warning that underscores the need to end the Iran war immediately.” Sina Toossi of the Center for International Policy warned that infrastructure warfare could deepen the energy crisis and push economies into recession. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Vice President JD Vance, with Trump’s approval, sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, to test whether talks could be revived; Trump publicly denied directing Vance to seek peace talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in the Financial Times that Iran is “firmly committed to seeking a dignified peaceful resolution” while “fully prepared to defend ourselves,” and that diplomacy can advance only if Washington accepts it has no military options.