Israel is weighing a renewed military offensive against Iran that could begin as early as late August and no later than December, according to a Foreign Policy analysis by Middle East expert Trita Parsi. The article says senior Israeli officials view the June conflict, which inflicted heavy losses on both sides, as merely the first phase of a longer campaign aimed at curbing Iran’s ability to challenge Israeli air superiority. Parsi writes that Tehran is preparing for a rapid, larger-scale response if hostilities resume. Unlike its measured missile strikes during the June war, Iran would seek to deliver an overwhelming early barrage to deter repeated Israeli “mowing-the-grass” operations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that any renewed Israeli attack would meet a reaction “impossible to cover up.” The assessment notes that Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief of staff Eyal Zamir have both signaled the likelihood of further action, arguing that Iran is already replenishing missile stocks and air defenses. The calculus is also shaped by the approaching U.S. mid-term election season, which could complicate efforts to secure sustained American support if fighting drags on. Foreign Policy concludes that a second round would probably be more violent than June’s 12-day clash, raising the risk of a wider regional war. The scope of U.S. involvement remains uncertain after Washington expended a quarter of its THAAD interceptors in the earlier conflict while trying to limit escalation.