Tensions between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other have been building up over recent days towards an expected resumption of major combat between the two sides, with threats and provocations. Despite President Trump’s recent declaration to the contrary, a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran could come either before or after the upcoming Nov. 3 election in the U.S. or even before the Oct. 27 election in Israel where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to get any advantage he can over his rivals.

While speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening, President Trump was asked whether he had given up on negotiating with the Iranians. “No, I think we’re not negotiating with—we are going to have something one way or the other. It’ll happen fairly soon,” he said. “Most people seem to think it’s after the election, and we’re going to see what happens,” he added. “But I will say this, what we’ve done with Iran is amazing.”

Other developments this week pointing the way towards more war include the following:

The IRGC Navy issued a statement on Thursday reporting that its forces hit four vessels, setting them afire in the Persian Gulf after being detected transferring oil cargo between ships, while three other vessels suffered incidents and fires after striking mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, reported Tasnim. The IRGC Navy blamed the Trump Administration’s insistence on encouraging vessels to pass through an illegally designated, mined passage for the increasing number of maritime incidents.

“The invading U.S. military must understand that if this course of action continues, the scope of retaliation will extend to the aggressor’s military bases across the region,” it said. “This is a serious warning.”