US Senator Chris Murphy said he has been briefed on the administration's plan to restart the war on Iran and called it "insane", warning it would lead to a "devastating escalation" and could target civilian infrastructure, Middle East Eye reported. Murphy, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees, spoke at an event organised by the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.

Source: Middle East Eye, via Hatha Alyoum

"You've heard a preview that it would be a short-duration plan. I'll just say this: their plan is insane," Murphy said. "It will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law." He added: "There's been open reporting as to what we may be planning and the civilian infrastructure we may be targeting." Murphy did not disclose classified details of the briefing.

His comments followed a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday that the United States had warned several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military offensive against Iran after the US midterm elections on November 3, Middle East Eye reported. The Journal also reported that US forces have been restocking munitions in the region, that bomber aircraft and fighters are preparing for attacks, and that a Patriot missile defence system is being moved from Texas to Israel, citing officials and flight-tracking data. Next month, an aircraft carrier strike group and a Marine expeditionary unit are also expected to join around 20 other warships operating in the Middle East, the report said.

CNN has separately reported that US forces in the region could be ready to act within 96 hours of a presidential go-ahead and that a reported target list includes energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities, according to a National Security Journal summary of the reporting. Those target details come from media reports citing unnamed officials, not from any official announcement.

Source: National Security Journal

The cost Murphy says is being hidden

Murphy spoke about a trip earlier this month to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where he said he took part in classified briefings and saw damage to US bases first-hand. "Our base in Bahrain is obliterated; it is not usable, and our base in Qatar is usable but at a much lower level capacity," he said, describing what he called a "cover-up" of the war's costs. Those are Murphy's own claims from his trip, reported by Middle East Eye.

The Pentagon told Congress last week that the US-Israeli war on Iran, now in its eighth month, had cost the US $47.1 billion through October 16 — yaani $47.1 billion, about 4,710 crore dollars — up from the $37.5 billion previously cited by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, with bombs, missiles and other ammunition making up over 60 percent of the total, Middle East Eye reported.

What happens next: President Trump has not made a final decision, according to several reports, but is reported to be inclined towards a major attack. At a rally in Florida last week he said, "We may do another little Epic Fury," using the US military's name for its war on Iran. The midterm elections fall on November 3, the point after which the reported offensive would be launched if it goes ahead.