Netanyahu cites Trump endorsement ahead of Israeli election, warns of Iran threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told voters on Sunday night that U.S. President Donald Trump has offered unprecedented support and urged them to re-elect him, suggesting the two leaders could resume military action against Iran if Netanyahu wins. "US President Donald Trump has come with a friendship that has never existed before between an Israeli prime minister and an American president," Netanyahu said in a televised appearance, adding that Trump is "calling on you to vote for me."

Trump posted on social media, "Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!" and later indicated that action to eliminate the Iranian threat would depend on Netanyahu staying in power.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly responded that Iran is under severe economic and military pressure and that the U.S. blockade will continue, but added that the United States will not attack Iran before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3.

Netanyahu’s main rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, also praised Trump as a friend of Israel and said he expects cooperation with any elected leader.

The election, the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, will determine whether Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition retains a narrow majority. Polls suggest his Likud party may lose seats, potentially affecting the coalition’s stability.

Both candidates have used social-media posts to emphasize security themes, with Netanyahu sharing AI-generated images depicting Iranian leaders and a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv, while Eisenkot accused him of relying on fear-based tactics.