Netanyahu denies report of 'unprecedented' clash with IDF chief over Iran strikes, opposition accuses PM of provoking escalation

Israel’s political and military leadership have been increasingly at odds over the approach to handling the Iranian threat ahead of the Tuesday elections, according to several reports by Israeli media outlets.

This comes against the backdrop of multiple international reports suggesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to launch new strikes against the Iranian regime last week.

Netanyahu himself denied these allegations, which opposition leaders have cited as evidence that he wants to influence, or even postpone, the elections with a new military conflict.

Speaking to Channel 14 on Sunday, Netanyahu denied a Channel 12 report claiming that he had “an unprecedented confrontation” with the IDF chief after he pushed back against an order that he feared could trigger an escalation with Iran.

“There is no confrontation. Someone is trying to obscure the fact that the chief of staff himself said that Iran is trying to interfere with the elections,” Netanyahu said.

The Channel 12 report claimed that IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir requested an in-depth discussion and formal, signed legal authorization for the requested operation. A security source told the channel that the operation could result in a “miscalculation” that could lead to a “rapid confrontation with Iran.”

The report also cited unnamed sources who claimed that IDF leadership fears Netanyahu may be using the issue to gain political momentum, echoing accusations by opposition leaders. The controversy follows repeated warnings by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz in recent weeks that, according to intelligence assessments, the regime could seek to interfere with the elections by attacking Israel.

Ynet News reported that Zamir’s announcement two weeks ago that the IDF was on high alert stemmed from concerns about a possible miscalculation. The announcement was intended to signal to the political leadership that the military wanted to avoid threatening statements that could provoke Iran into striking first.

On Sunday, Army Radio reported tensions between the political leadership and senior IDF officials, citing three security sources, but did not confirm Channel 12’s report of a personal confrontation between Zamir and Netanyahu.

However, one source described the tension between the offices of Netanyahu and Katz and the office of IDF chief Zamir as “very high.”

Two sources said that concerns about a miscalculation on both sides increased significantly in recent days. “Any incorrect statement could lead us into a situation of miscalculation,” a senior security official said. “Iran might conclude that it would be better for it to launch an attack against Israel.”

Several reports by Israeli media outlets have noted that the IDF sees no reason for Israel to initiate an operation against Iran, with Zamir reportedly warning that this could necessitate the elections to be postponed.

“Everything can change in an instant, and the current period is extremely, extremely sensitive – both because of the elections in Israel and because of the elections in the United States,” a senior security source warned.

The relations between Netanyahu and Trump add another layer of complexity to this issue. Israeli and international media outlets have been reporting for weeks that both sides are in discussions about new strikes, amid contradictory reports of who is pushing whom.

CNN reported Monday that the U.S. forces in the Middle East are ready to launch major strikes against Iran “within 96 hours of receiving” Trump’s orders, two U.S. officials said.

They added that Trump has not yet decided what to do after the midterms next week but allegedly appears to be leaning toward ordering major new strikes.

The report also claimed that Netanyahu has been pushing Trump to order attacks since last week, but the U.S. requested to postpone until the Trump administration is ready to launch joint operations, according to two U.S. officials and an Israeli security source. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the report was “fake news,” without elaborating.

“Netanyahu really wanted and tried to convince Trump for a joint attack in Iran before the elections, and Trump did not give a green light,” the Israeli security source said. Zamir’s warnings were a factor in Trump’s decision to delay, the report added.

The sources concluded that Israel appeared to have postponed plans for imminent strikes but continued preparing for joint action with U.S. forces, likely after the U.S. midterm elections.

Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leaders cited new reports of confrontations between Netanyahu and the IDF to exploit them for their election campaigns.

Yashar party chairman and frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot warned on Sunday that Netanyahu “will stop at nothing to stay in power.”

“I see the polls, I know the data, and I know Netanyahu,” Eisenkot said. “He’ll stop at nothing – no lie, no extreme measure – to stay in power.”

Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman said he requested that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara open a criminal investigation into Netanyahu for alleged “treason” by trying to reignite fighting with Iran.

Netanyahu “has been pressuring security chiefs to take steps that might cause a miscalculation vis-a-vis Iran,” Liberman said. “The attempt to drag Israel to a war on the eve of the election, coupled with the willingness to sacrifice IDF soldiers just because he’s afraid of an election loss, are a betrayal of the state, its security and IDF soldiers.”

Defense Minister Katz dismissed reports of “differences between the political leadership and the IDF on the issue of Iran [as] completely unfounded and entirely false.”

“I state unequivocally that Israel had no intention of initiating an attack on Iran before the elections in Israel. We made it clear that if Iran attacks Israel, we will respond with great force. All reports on this matter are completely false,” Katz declared.

“The opposition’s attempt to exploit these reports to attack the prime minister and me and cast doubt on our judgment – at a time when, for understandable reasons, we are unable to discuss the details of the Iranian issue – is shameful and irresponsible.”