Reports this week describe how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed for fresh military strikes against Iran in the days before the October 27 election — but faced pressure from both his military leadership and the Trump administration to hold off.
The news comes as Israeli voters headed to the polls in an election watched worldwide.
F-15I Fighter from Israel. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
An Israeli F-15I Ra’am assigned to the 69th Squadron launches for a sortie in support of exercise Juniper Falcon May 7, at Uvda Air Base, Israel. Juniper Falcon 17 represents the combination of several bi-lateral component/ Israeli Defense Force exercises that have been executed annually since 2011. These exercises were combined to increase joint training opportunities and capitalize on transportation and cost efficiencies gained by aggregating forces. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew)
CNN reported on October 26 that Netanyahu sought support from the United States for another round of strikes against Iran just before the election.
President Donald Trump reportedly declined to authorize an immediate joint operation, citing concerns that it could hurt Republicans’ chances in the November 3 midterm elections.
The New York Times provided additional details in a report on October 27, describing disagreements between Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over the prospect of new strikes.
Netanyahu Wanted to Strike Before Election
In recent weeks, analysts have speculated whether President Donald Trump would authorize strikes before or after the upcoming midterm elections nd with election day just a week away, it seems increasingly likely that Trump is waiting until after Americans go to the polls.
News that Trump also shot down Netanyahu’s new strikes supports that.
According to an October 25 report from Israel’s Channel 12, Prime Minister Netanyahu issued instructions for an unspecified military operation that senior defense officials said they believed would provoke a much larger confrontation with Tehran.
Zamir is said to have resisted the proposal and requested further discussions and written legal authorization before moving ahead with the operation, expressing concerns that strikes could prompt Iran to retaliate and interfere with Tuesday’s election.
Netanyahu, however, has denied that any confrontation occurred. Speaking to Channel 12, Netanyahu dismissed the reports entirely and insisted that Israel was still preparing to respond to recent threats from Iran.
The controversy came after the Israeli PM warned voters about the prospect of Iran rebuilding its nuclear program, using the issue as a campaigning point in the final days of the election campaign.
Those warnings extended to the publishing of an AI-generated image online that depicted a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv.
Did Trump Reject the Proposal?
According to CNN’s reporting, which cited two unnamed American officials and an anonymous Israeli security source, President Trump stepped in and asked Israel to delay any operation until Washington was prepared to participate as well.
The report said that Zamir warned Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the possibility of renewed fighting disrupting the election in Israel.
The sources said that Israel agreed to delay military action in part because it would have required U.S. military assistance to defend against possible Iranian missile strikes that might have been initiated in response to the campaign.
Netanyahu’s office described those claims as false.
But on October 22, an ABC News report revealed how American and Israeli military planners have been preparing for new strikes against Iran — and how those strikes are likely to occur in the coming weeks.
What Happens After the Election?
Regardless of the outcome of yesterday’s election in Israel, the country’s government is likely to continue taking a hard line against Iran — and while Netanyahu has been one of the most vocal proponents of military action against Iran, even his main political opponents have expressed support for strikes against Iranian military and nuclear facilities, citing the threat the regime poses to Israel.
Eisenkot, for example, has previously praised President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran, though he has also argued that military operations alone are insufficient to topple the regime in Tehran.
Other opposition figures, including Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, have expressed similar views about the conflict, not outright rejecting the prospect of new strikes.
But the election results could still complicate plans for the next military operation, with the Times of Israel reporting on October 22 that Netanyahu may struggle to authorize new strikes if he loses the election and remains in office for a period of time as a caretaker prime minister. As of this writing, we don’t have a clear direction on the outcome of the votes.
And while the election unfolds, Iran is preparing for another round of fighting and issuing increasingly severe threats to the United States and Israel.
Strikes against commercial shipping have risen to new heights this month, too, with Iranian forces attempting to bring traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to a standstill.
Reports in recent days have also described how residents in Tehran have begun stockpiling food and medicine in anticipation of new strikes, while others are even considering leaving entirely over fears of renewed attacks.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
