WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon’s top military planner, a defense official said Wednesday, the latest in a series of generals to be ousted and one that comes even as President Donald Trump is weighing renewed strikes on Iran in the eight-month-long war.

The Day After Midterms: Diplomacy Or Another "Epic Fury"? Brent crude futures topped $116.50 a barrel early Wednesday after a WSJ report said the Trump administration is preparing for a brief military campaign against Iran after the midterm elections.

Tehran: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran was discussing with mediators ways to implement a seven-day plan to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States has reportedly told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military campaign after the US midterm elections.