Netanyahu Wanted Iran Strike Before Election, Army Chief Wanted More Than Orders

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sought US approval for a joint strike on Iran before Tuesday’s election, while Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir sought further discussions and formal authorisation before proceeding with a proposed military operation.

The reported disagreement comes amid uncertainty over whether the United States will approve fresh attacks on Iran. The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli broadcaster N12, reported that Zamir sought further discussion and formal authorisation before proceeding with an unspecified military operation.

Separately, Israel Hayom, citing CNN, reported that US officials urged Netanyahu to wait until Washington was ready for a possible joint operation. Netanyahu has denied a confrontation with the military chief, and Defence Minister Israel Katz has said Israel does not intend to attack Iran before the election.

The reported disagreement centres on whether an immediate strike is necessary and whether an operation launched days before Israelis vote could disrupt the election.

Why did Netanyahu push for a strike on Iran?

According to Israel Hayom, citing CNN, Netanyahu pressed Trump to approve a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran before Israel’s October 27 election. The report cited two US officials and an Israeli security source familiar with the discussions.

“Netanyahu was very eager and even tried to persuade Trump to carry out a joint strike on Iran before the elections, but Trump did not give the green light,” the Israeli source told CNN, according to Israel Hayom.

The report said US officials had asked Netanyahu to wait until Washington was ready to conduct military operations alongside Israel. The US administration has not announced a decision to launch a new offensive, and the timing and scale of any potential operation remain uncertain.

The report also said the United States had enough military assets in the region to prepare for further operations against Iran. However, preparations do not amount to a decision to attack.

What is Zamir demanding before military action?

A report by The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli broadcaster N12, said Zamir had received instructions from the political leadership to carry out an unspecified military operation that security officials feared could trigger a rapid escalation into a confrontation with Iran.

Given the potential consequences, Zamir reportedly sought an in-depth discussion and formal authorisation before proceeding. The report said military officials were concerned that the political leadership might be seeking to use the Iran conflict for electoral gain.

The details of the proposed operation have not been disclosed. According to The Times of Israel, citing Channel 12, Zamir also sought signed documentation from Netanyahu regarding legal authorisation for the proposed action.

An earlier report by The Times of Israel, citing Channel 13, gave further context to Zamir’s assessment of the military threat. He was quoted as saying during a private meeting: “We do not see any indications of a need to strike Iran before the election. If we determine that a strike on Iran is necessary, we will carry it out.”

The Jerusalem Post report said Zamir would be prepared to support an attack if Iran were preparing to strike Israel, or if Washington initiated renewed fighting with Israel receiving full US backing for offensive and defensive operations.

How could a strike affect Israel’s election?

The timing of a possible attack is central to the reported disagreement. Israel is scheduled to vote on October 27, and renewed fighting with Iran could force the country to divert resources to missile defence and civilian protection.

According to Israel Hayom, Zamir warned General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, that an operation could disrupt the election and force its postponement. The warning was cited as one reason the Trump administration did not immediately approve Netanyahu’s reported proposal.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has warned that Iran or its regional allies could attempt to disrupt the election. Speaking on Sunday, he said Israel had intelligence indications that Iran and its proxies might seek to interfere with the vote, though he did not publicly detail those indications.

That warning provides important context for the dispute: the prime minister has presented Iran as a potential threat to the election, while reports suggest the military chief is concerned that an Israeli strike could itself disrupt the vote.

What have Netanyahu and his government said?

Netanyahu has denied reports of a confrontation with Zamir. Responding to the Channel 12 account, he said on Channel 14’s The Patriots programme that “there is no confrontation”, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The prime minister also accused unnamed parties of trying to obscure Zamir’s own warnings about possible Iranian interference in the election. His office separately dismissed CNN’s report about the push for a joint strike as “fake news”.

Defence Minister Israel Katz has also rejected reports of a rift between the political leadership and the military. He said coordination with Netanyahu and the IDF on Iran had been complete and stated that there was “no intention on Israel’s part to initiate an attack on Iran before the elections”.

The competing accounts leave key questions unresolved. The proposed operation has not been publicly detailed, the government has denied the reported confrontation, and Washington has not announced approval for a new joint strike.