It is unlikely that Israel will attack Iran before the elections - media

Despite claims that Netanyahu wants to resume the war, Israeli officials have ruled out an attack on Iran before the Oct. 27 vote. Read the full article on RT.com.

According to Ynet News on Thursday, there is a widespread belief in Israel's political and security institutions that the country will not attack Iran before the October 27 parliamentary elections.

The report came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Army Radio on Wednesday that it would be "unpleasant" to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran at this time. However, he claimed that "Iranian proxies" were planning to fire rockets into Israel.

Stating that Israel will respond to any attack, he said: "Even if Iran fires a missile at us, they will blame me."

Netanyahu sought to dismiss speculation following a Channel 12 report that he had asked the United States to attack Iran ahead of Israeli elections and the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections. Axios quoted a US official as saying earlier this week that Netanyahu "seems to want to go against Iran again". Netanyahu's office denied these claims.

Netanyahu survived his enemies. Can he survive his voters?

In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned that if Iran does not accept his conditions, he can resume the bombing campaign. American media have reported that the Pentagon has prepared plans to use a massive bomb nicknamed the "Mother of All Bombs". The White House, however, rejected the conversation between Trump and Netanyahu to resume the war.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have stalled with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of making unacceptable demands. Iranian officials have warned that if American or Israeli forces launch another attack, the country is ready for another war.

Knesset elections will determine whether Netanyahu can stay in power after more than three years in power with a coalition of right-wing and religious parties. He has faced accusations of intelligence lapses before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that led to Israel's military operation in Gaza, as well as criticism of his performance in efforts to free Israeli hostages. His corruption trial remains a political responsibility.

Neither Netanyahu's coalition nor the opposition are confident of securing the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

US midterm elections will determine control of Congress for the remaining two years of Trump's presidency amid an energy crisis exacerbated by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both chambers, while Democrats hope to regain control and limit Trump's legislative agenda. A Pew Research Center poll released on Oct. 8 found that 65 percent of Americans disapprove of his handling of the Iran war, while his overall approval rating has fallen to 30 percent, the lowest level in his second term.