Chris Murphy, the Democratic senator from Connecticut and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has called the Donald Trump administration's plan for a new phase of the war with the Islamic Republic insane. He made the remarks on Wednesday, 28 October, at an event at the Middle East Institute in Washington, after a group of senators had been briefed on the plan by Pentagon officials.
Murphy said he could not disclose the details of the plan, but in his words it would lead to a devastating escalation of the conflict and destroy America's commitment to the rule of law. He added that the plan had been drawn up at the US president's request, and that what has been heard so far is a plan for a short-term operation. On Thursday, 29 October, Murphy also wrote on X that some senators had been briefed on the war plan and that, in his assessment, it would not achieve its goals and would start a new round of escalation.
Trump: the war will wrap up soon
Speaking to KCMO radio in Kansas City on Friday, 30 October, Donald Trump said the war with the Islamic Republic would end soon, but did not say how that end would come about. He added that for any deal the US needs a guarantee that the Islamic Republic will never obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump had said earlier that he would not attack Iran before the 3 November midterm elections.
Reports indicate that the US is preparing to resume operations after the congressional elections. Israeli sources told ABC that the two countries have discussed tightening the blockade on the Islamic Republic's oil exports and bombing petrochemical facilities. At the same time, Israel has asked the US for permission to strike Iran's energy facilities.
Qatari mediation and Vance's letter
Murphy's and Trump's remarks come as Qatari mediators travelled to Tehran again on Friday, and Mohsen Rezaei has yet to reply to the letter from US Vice President JD Vance. Last week, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also removed Lieutenant General Brett Silvia, the Joint Staff's chief planner.
A senator who heard the details of the war plan describes it as a short operation, but one that carries the risk of a wide escalation.
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