Netanyahu and Mossad Chief Planned Pre-Election Strike on Iran, Report Says
A Channel 12 report claims US intelligence accidentally learned of the plan, leading Washington to stop the operation just before the October 27 vote.
By Samantha Reed ·
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director Roman Gofman prepared an operation against Iran on the eve of Israel's October 27 election, according to a Channel 12 report aired on Friday. The broadcast stated that the plan was not supported by other senior security officials who feared a major escalation could disrupt the scheduled vote.
The report described how the operation moved forward despite internal resistance. An Israeli security operative reportedly made an error that allowed the United States to learn of the plan. Washington then acted quickly to suppress the effort, the network said. Channel 12 noted that it was airing the story under the constraints of military censorship.
The Prime Minister's Office rejected the findings. The office stated that Netanyahu clarified in real time that an attack before the Israeli elections was not on the agenda. This denial follows a series of similar reports released in the days before the poll.
On October 25, two days before the election, Channel 12 reported a dispute between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. The network cited anonymous sources who said Zamir resisted an order for unspecified military action that defense officials believed could trigger a conflict with Iran. Zamir reportedly requested further deliberations and signed legal authorization from the prime minister.
A military source quoted in that earlier report warned that the action could lead to a flare-up with Iran at a sensitive moment. Unnamed sources expressed concern that political leaders were using the Iranian issue for political benefit. When asked about the dispute during an interview on Channel 14 that night, Netanyahu called it nonsense and said there was no fight with Zamir. He also said he had recently instructed the IDF and Mossad to topple the Iranian regime.
The Channel 12 report indicated that tensions between the two leaders were visible during a discussion at Palmahim Airbase. A senior security source said the atmosphere in the room was extremely sour. On October 26, one day before the election, Channels 12 and 13 reported that Zamir was the only security chief opposing the military action sought by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The news of the scrapped operation emerged as progress was reported in Qatari-mediated negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran. Channel 12 reported earlier this week that Netanyahu urged President Donald Trump to resume the war against Iran immediately after the US midterm elections. Trump, however, said he wants to give diplomatic negotiations with Tehran more time. On Friday, Trump told reporters outside the White House that the US is talking to Iran and has not lost a soldier in six or seven months.
