Netanyahu Faces Accusations of Weaponizing Iran Tensions for Electioneering
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reported to have pushed the military toward confrontation with Iran as his coalition slips in the polls ahead of the election, while critics say he is turning national security into a campaign prop.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been reported to have ratcheted up pressure on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to adopt a more aggressive posture toward Iran in the days before the national election, a move critics see as a cynical bid to inflame fear and rally wavering voters. Channel 12 news said the prime minister and IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir clashed over a directive that could "potentially spark an immediate conflagration with Iran at a very sensitive juncture," prompting Zamir to request the order in writing. Netanyahu denied the report, and the defence ministry later said it had no plans for military operations against Iran.
According to a CNN report citing the Financial Times, Netanyahu also sought President Donald Trump's backing for a renewed assault on Iran, but Trump indicated he would not act until after the U.S. congressional elections. The IDF issued a statement saying its decisions are based on "security, professional, objective and national considerations," without directly confirming or denying the alleged directive.
During the campaign, Netanyahu posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv and warned voters that choosing the opposition could endanger their lives. He told Channel 14 that the election presented an "existential" choice for Israel and described the opposition as aligned with Palestinians. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, a retired general, said the IDF should not be turned into a tool for Netanyahu's campaign theatrics.
Polls suggest the centre-right opposition bloc led by Eisenkot may win more seats than Netanyahu's coalition, though neither side is expected to secure a majority on its own. Netanyahu has highlighted his support from President Trump, who posted an endorsement on social media, and warned of potential reductions in U.S. military aid and the use of cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions, a claim the Bank of Israel rejected.