TEHRAN, October 14, 2026 — Iran is fortifying its defenses and preparing for a possible new round of fighting with the United States and Israel, satellite images indicate, as senior officials in Tehran warn of a wider, harsher retaliation if Washington resumes strikes after the American midterm elections.
Satellite Images Show Reinforced Nuclear Sites
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that satellite imagery analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security shows Iranian authorities have installed defensive barriers around several sensitive locations, including the Natanz nuclear facility and the Pickaxe Mountain complex. Earth mounds built last month around tunnel entrances and key installations appear designed to complicate any ground operation against them, analysts said.
The fortification effort is part of a broader push by Tehran to rebuild its missile and drone programs despite damage inflicted by earlier American and Israeli strikes, the Journal reported. Iranian officials are preparing the country for renewed war even as the government grapples with deepening economic misery under tougher US sanctions and a tightening naval blockade.
Threats of Escalation Across the Gulf
Iranian officials have warned publicly and in private conversations with regional officials that Tehran would answer new American strikes with escalation across the Middle East, people familiar with the warnings told the Journal. Among the options discussed: attacks on Saudi oil installations, strikes on targets in the United Arab Emirates including data centers and internet cables, attempts to sink US warships in the region, and even ground incursions into neighboring countries.
Mohsen Rezaei, a senior Iranian security official, said Sunday that Tehran could target the UAE as well as regional data centers and internet infrastructure. Iranian authorities have also warned Arab officials that Saudi oil facilities could be hit if the US attacks again.
At home, Iran is putting its population on a war footing, the report said. Paramilitary forces have been sent to read wartime stories to children in kindergartens, state-backed outlets are advertising training in firing shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles, and loyalist rallies are being organized. Iran has limited ability to defend against advanced American aircraft, bombers or cruise missiles, analysts said, giving Tehran a strong incentive to try to deter new strikes with threats.
Sanam Vakil, Middle East director at London’s Chatham House think tank, said the war footing was serving Tehran well for now, adding that renewed fighting could give the leadership a way out of the diplomatic and economic impasse it faces.
Netanyahu Pressing Trump to Strike Again
Meanwhile, Axios reported on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of renewed strikes on Iran with President Donald Trump during a phone call last week, citing four sources familiar with the matter. The White House has denied that the two leaders discussed restarting the war.
According to the Axios report, Netanyahu is concerned that Iran is rebuilding its nuclear program and has raised the prospect of renewed attacks with Trump on multiple occasions. A US official told the outlet that Trump urged the Israeli leader to prepare but made no commitment on whether or when an operation would take place. Both the US and Israeli militaries remain on alert, sources said.
Trump ruled out new American strikes before the November 3 midterm elections, writing on Truth Social that “we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections,” while insisting the naval blockade on Iran remains in full force. US officials have said a third aircraft carrier strike group is heading to the Middle East, with thousands of additional troops expected to arrive by the end of the month.
Tehran rejected Washington’s latest response to its proposals to end the war as “insufficient” earlier this week, and negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz remain at an impasse — leaving the region braced for what comes after the votes are counted.
