Israeli official says Iran war backfired, hurting Israel and the U.S. administration
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A senior Israeli official argued that the war in Iran did not deliver the hoped-for results and instead fed Republican losses in the U.S. midterms while pushing President Donald Trump to suspend military aid to Israel.
A senior Israeli official told reporters that the war in Iran, which was supposed to destabilise Tehran, instead became another reckless gamble that contributed to the defeat of the Republican Party in the recent U.S. midterm elections and forced a shift in the U.S. administration’s policy toward Israel.
Vice President JD Vance posted on social media that a pollster identified four reasons for the Republican loss: ending the war, cost-of-living concerns, an "America first" agenda, and a reassessment of the U.S.–Israel relationship.
Following the election, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. military aid to Israel would be halted beginning next year, saying the decision was initiated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to the Israeli official, Netanyahu responded by driving the two countries even further apart, in a move made without prior consultation and through irregular channels. The official warned that reduced American support could have wider diplomatic and security consequences for Israel.
The article also noted internal Israeli debates over election integrity, with Shin Bet chief David Zini calling for a thorough investigation of alleged fraud and foreign interference, while Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara emphasized adherence to legal procedures.
Netanyahu has called for national unity after the election, but opposition leaders argue that real unity would require concessions from his Likud party and its allies.