Delay Attack on Iran Until After Elections
TEL AVIV: The Israeli military has urged that any attack on Iran be postponed until after Israel’s elections on October 27 to avoid disrupting the voting process and further eroding public confidence in the military.
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, although intelligence indicates that Iran is expanding its ballistic missile stockpiles and production capacity, an attack on the country could undermine public trust and fuel perceptions that the military action is politically motivated.
Public confidence in Israel’s military and security agencies has declined following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, while the military has also become embroiled in political disputes over accountability as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to deflect criticism of his leadership.
The warning follows a report by Channel 12 that Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir had told his counterparts that the United States (US) was preparing to resume military operations against Iran within the next three weeks.
Zamir said such an attack could lead to the postponement of the elections, while Iran was expected to retaliate against Israel if the US escalated its military operations.
Concerns that Netanyahu might postpone the upcoming elections have also been raised by Israel’s opposition.
Opinion polls indicate that neither Netanyahu nor the anti-Netanyahu opposition bloc has sufficient support to secure a parliamentary majority and form a government.
Netanyahu had previously claimed that Hamas would attack Israel ahead of the elections.
He also warned the previous week that the country’s enemies could launch an attack.
According to The Times of Israel, Israeli opposition politician Yair Lapid criticised Netanyahu after receiving an intelligence briefing concerning Hamas.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak told Channel 12 that Netanyahu was preparing to launch a war that could result in the postponement of the elections.
“Netanyahu is laying the groundwork for a war in a way that could delay the elections,” he said.
The military’s concerns that a new war could lead to the postponement of the elections come as US President Donald Trump is considering strikes against Iran.
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