On October 27 Israel will hold parliamentary elections. The day before, on October 26, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement addressing circulating reports about a possible pre‑election strike on Iran.
Katz said, “I state unequivocally that Israel had absolutely no intention of initiating an attack against Iran before the Israeli elections.” He added that the reports of disagreements between the political leadership and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) regarding Iran are “completely baseless and false.”
The minister also rejected claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military were at odds over policy toward Iran. In the same statement he addressed rumors about a clash between the IDF chief of staff, Lieutenant‑General Eyal Zamir, and political leaders, calling those reports unfounded as well.
” The minister also rejected claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military were at odds over policy toward Iran.
According to the same set of sources, the U.S. administration is not prepared for renewed attacks on Iran. However, a joint U.S.–Israel operation against Iran is reportedly ready, with implementation possibly postponed until after the U.S. congressional elections on November 3.
Katz’s remarks underscore the sensitivity of the “Iran file” in the weeks leading up to the Israeli elections, a period in which any suggestion of military action could become a political issue. By publicly denying both a pre‑election strike and internal discord, the Defense Minister aimed to present a unified security stance as the country heads to the polls.