Trump's narrow window for Iran strikes before Congress returns

President Trump has a narrow window of a few weeks after the midterm elections to launch a renewed war on Iran before a new Congress is likely to rein in his war powers, experts told The Post. If Democrats take the House, as projected, the president would face major resistance from Congress by January, leaving a 6-8 week window for freedom of action. A likely course would be a two-week intense bombardment campaign targeting military facilities, coastal bases, and potentially oil infrastructure or nuclear sites. The US has two aircraft carriers in the region, with a third arriving, plus 22 destroyers and about 50,000 troops. Iran warns of mass retaliation across the Middle East, targeting US bases and commercial ships, while Israel's role remains unclear amid its own election uncertainty.