Channel 12 Reports Netanyahu Sought Pre-Election Strike on Iran, Thwarted by U.S. Tip-off
An unsourced report claims the Prime Minister and Mossad chief planned an operation days before the October 27 vote, but Washington intervened after an Israeli security mistake.
By Natalie Cooper ·
Channel 12 reported on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director Roman Gofman planned a military operation against Iran on the eve of Israel’s October 27 general election. The unsourced and unconfirmed report states that the plan was abandoned after an Israeli security operative made a mistake that alerted the United States, prompting Washington to move quickly to stop the action. The network noted that the broadcast remained within the constraints of military censorship.
According to the report, other senior officials in the Israeli security establishment did not support the operation. They feared the move could trigger a major escalation and prevent the election from proceeding as scheduled. Despite this opposition, plans for the unspecified operation advanced. The report did not detail the specific nature of the planned action.
The Prime Minister’s Office rejected the account in a statement. It said, “The prime minister himself clarified in real time that an attack before the Israeli elections was not on the agenda.” This denial followed similar reports aired shortly before the polls opened. On October 25, two days before the election, Channel 12 reported that an “unprecedented confrontation” was unfolding between Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. The network cited anonymous sources who said Zamir resisted carrying out an instruction for military action that defense officials believed could lead to a flare-up with Iran.
Sources familiar with the situation at the time expressed concern that military leaders saw an effort by the political leadership to use the Iranian issue for political benefit. A military source told the outlet, “This relates to an action that could lead to a flare-up with Iran, at a sensitive and dramatic moment, creating this [potential] miscalculation.” The tension between Netanyahu and Zamir was reportedly visible during a discussion at Palmahim Airbase, where the atmosphere was described as “extremely sour.” A senior security source added, “History will not forget the role that Zamir has played in recent days.”
Netanyahu addressed the October 25 report during an interview with Channel 14 that same night, calling it “nonsense” and stating that “there was no fight” with Zamir. He said he had recently instructed the IDF and Mossad to topple the Iranian regime, though this statement appeared separate from the specific instruction reported by Channel 12. On October 26, the day before the election, Channels 12 and 13 reported that Zamir was the only security chief to oppose the military action sought by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The new report arrives as Qatari-mediated negotiations aim to end the war between the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday that the U.S. is “talking to Iran” and has “not lost a soldier in six or seven months.” He also claimed on Truth Social that the Middle East would not exist today if he had not stopped Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu reportedly urged Trump to resume strikes against Iran immediately after Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, but Trump indicated a preference to give diplomatic efforts more time.
The U.S. midterm elections were held on Tuesday, where Republicans suffered major losses. Netanyahu reportedly fears the ongoing talks could ease pressure on Iran, while Trump wants Israel to refrain from interfering with the diplomatic effort for now.
