Four people familiar with the discussions said top aides to U.S. President Donald Trump are pushing to prevent the conflict with Iran from escalating until November's midterm elections, aiming to reduce Republican electoral losses. The strategy is already under strain after the United States and Iran exchanged attacks overnight. The sources, who requested anonymity to describe internal thinking, said White House officials will consider ramping up military action after the November 3 vote, though a return to full-scale conflict is far from certain. The U.S. military said its latest strikes were retaliation for recent attacks on American forces and marine traffic in the region.