Netanyahu's Iran attack plan before Israel polls stopped after operative tipped off US

Netanyahu' office rejected the reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad chief Roman Gofman reportedly sought to launch an operation against Iran just before Israel's October 27 election, but the plan was stopped after the United States was alerted.The proposed operation was said to be opposed by senior officials in Israel's security establishment. They feared it could trigger a major escalation with Iran and disrupt the election. Despite these concerns, preparations for the unspecified operation continued. However, a mistake by an Israeli security operative reportedly tipped off Washington about the plan. The US then moved quickly to prevent the operation from going ahead, Channel 12 reported, as quoted by Times of Israel.Netanyahu's office rejected the report, saying: “The prime minister himself clarified in real time that an attack before the Israeli elections was not on the agenda.”The latest report follows a series of accounts in Israeli media about tensions between Netanyahu and senior military officials over possible action against Iran in the run-up to the election.On October 25, Channel 12 reported an “unprecedented confrontation” between Netanyahu and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over an order for unspecified military action.

According to that report, Zamir resisted carrying out the instruction, sought further deliberations and asked Netanyahu to provide written authorisation for the move.Military officials were concerned that the proposed action could trigger a wider confrontation with Iran at a sensitive moment. The report also cited concerns that the political leadership could be seeking to use the Iran issue for electoral advantage.Netanyahu dismissed the account as “nonsense” in an interview with Channel 14, saying there had been “no fight” with Zamir. He had separately said he had instructed the IDF and Mossad to topple the Iranian regime.A day later, Channels 12 and 13 reported that Zamir was the only senior Israeli security chief opposing military action sought by Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz, amid fears it could escalate tensions with Iran and derail the election.

Iran talks complicate Netanyahu's push for strikes

The reported attempt to launch an operation comes amid diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between the US and Iran, with Qatar mediating negotiations. US President Donald Trump has indicated that he wants to give diplomacy more time, even as the possibility of renewed military action remains.Channel 12 reported earlier this week that Netanyahu had urged Trump to resume the war against Iran immediately after the US midterm elections.

Trump, however, reportedly wanted Israel to avoid disrupting negotiations with Tehran.Netanyahu is said to be concerned that a diplomatic agreement could lead to a significant easing of pressure on Iran.Asked about Iran outside the White House on Friday, Trump said, “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.”He also repeated his claim that Israel and the wider Middle East would not exist today had he not stopped Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.The latest Channel 12 report marks a second alleged instance in which Washington intervened to prevent Israeli military action against Iran. The Financial Times had earlier reported that Trump opposed a separate Israeli plan for a more extensive offensive, which was reportedly ready to be launched on October 10.