Israel’s military was ready to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities and energy plants on October 10 — but Donald Trump said no. The Financial Times reports the plan was bigger than February’s joint US-Israeli operation, and India has a direct stake in what happens next.
Updated: October 22, 2026, 11:30 AM IST
Quick Read
- The Financial Times reports Israel planned multi-day strikes on Iran for the weekend of October 10 — nuclear sites, regime targets and civilian energy plants.
- Trump opposed the plan ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections; the White House says its Iran port blockade is working.
- For India, which imports most of its oil, any strike on Iranian energy plants would mean costlier crude — and a bigger fuel bill.
The plan Trump stopped
Three people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that the Israel Defence Forces were ready to launch a multi-day operation over the weekend of October 10. The target list: Iranian nuclear facilities, regime-linked sites, and civilian infrastructure including energy plants. It would have been more intense than the US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February — the operation called “Roaring Lion.”
Trump decided against reigniting the conflict before the US midterm elections on November 3. The White House also ruled out American strikes on Iran before the polls, saying Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports and its efforts to keep Gulf oil flowing were succeeding.
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Netanyahu is still pushing
This is not over. At an election rally in Dimona on October 21, Netanyahu said the only way to end the Iranian threat was to “topple” its government: “Iran wanted to destroy us; we stopped them. They wanted to produce nuclear bombs; we stopped them… Yet they persist. Therefore, there is only one way to end this: by toppling this regime.”
Heading into the last week of a tight re-election race, Netanyahu has instructed the IDF to keep planning. One FT source said renewed strikes after the US and Israeli elections were “not an unreasonable scenario.” Another suggested the October plan may have been a pressure tactic in negotiations. Either way, the decision to restart the fighting rests with Trump.
What it means for India’s oil bill
Here is why this is not just a Middle East story. Brent crude is trading around $108 a barrel. India imports the large majority of the oil it uses — every $10 rise in crude prices adds thousands of crores to the country’s import bill and eventually shows up at the petrol pump.
A strike on Iranian energy plants would do two things at once: take oil supply off the market and add a “war risk” premium to every barrel. The US ordering some embassy staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia this week — after a drone strike on a Saudi Aramco field — shows how quickly the region can heat up. For India, the maths is simple: peace in the Gulf keeps fuel affordable; war makes everything costlier.
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FAQs
Did Trump block an Israeli strike on Iran?
According to the Financial Times (Oct 21), yes — Israel’s military was ready for multi-day strikes on October 10, but Trump opposed reigniting the conflict before the November 3 US midterms.
What was Israel planning to hit?
Iranian nuclear facilities, regime sites and civilian infrastructure including energy plants — a bigger operation than February’s joint US-Israeli strikes.
How does this affect India?
India imports most of its oil. Any attack on Iranian energy infrastructure would push crude prices (now ~$108/barrel) higher, raising India’s import bill and fuel prices.
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