Alleged Pre-Election Operation Thwarted by US Alert
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad chief Roman Gofman sought to carry out an operation against Iran on the eve of Israel’s October 27 election, but the plan was thwarted after Washington was inadvertently alerted, according to a report by Gulf Insider. The leak reportedly exposed the strategy before it could be executed.
Channel 12 reported that senior officials in Israel’s security establishment opposed the proposed operation due to fears it could trigger a major escalation with Iran and lead to the postponement of the vote. Despite this opposition, preparations continued until an Israeli security operative mistakenly alerted the United States, prompting Washington to move quickly to stop the plan.
Netanyahu’s office denied the account. In a statement, the prime minister’s office said: “The prime minister himself clarified in real time that an attack before the Israeli elections was not on the agenda.”
Internal Military Resistance and Legal Authorization
Reports from Channel 12 describe an "unprecedented confrontation" on October 25 between Netanyahu and Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir regarding a proposed military action. Defence officials feared that such an operation could provoke a direct confrontation with Iran at a sensitive moment, creating potential for miscalculation.
According to the report, Zamir resisted carrying out the action and sought further deliberations. However, he ultimately signed documentation from Netanyahu confirming the legal authorization for the strike. Channels 12 and 13 reported that on October 26, Zamir was the only senior Israeli security chief to oppose the military action sought by Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
Unnamed sources cited in these reports stated that military leaders were concerned the political leadership was seeking to "utilize the Iranian issue for political benefit." The New York Times added that Netanyahu had "sought for weeks to orchestrate a new airstrike on Iran" but was blocked by Zamir, who became concerned that Netanyahu was pushing for a separate operation short of an overt strike.
Former Prime Minister Accuses PM of Bypassing Military
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak provided further context in an interview with Channel 12, alleging that the prime minister had planned to carry out "a provocation" involving Iran "via the Mossad, behind the back of the IDF chief of staff." This assertion aligns with reports suggesting a rift between the political leadership and the military establishment over the timing and necessity of such an operation.
Post-Election Diplomacy and US-Iran Tensions
Following the election, Channel 12 reported on November 1 that Netanyahu urged US President Donald Trump to resume the war against Iran immediately after the November 3 US midterm elections. Israeli and American sources familiar with a phone call between the leaders indicated that Trump wanted to give negotiations with Tehran more time, while Netanyahu feared a diplomatic agreement could lead to a significant easing of pressure on Iran.
Despite these internal Israeli pressures, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani stated that Washington remained willing to reach an agreement with Tehran and that significant progress had been made. "We cannot wait to reach a perfect agreement; we hope to reach a good agreement," he said, according to Reuters.
Trump addressed the situation on Friday, stating that the United States was talking to Iran and insisting that Washington had the upper hand in the conflict. "We’ve beaten Iran. We are doing very well with Iran. We’re talking to Iran. We haven’t lost a soldier in six or seven months," Trump said.