The New York Times: Netanyahu was eager to bomb Iran before the elections Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested a new attack on Iran a few weeks before the elections, but was met with opposition from the Chief of Staff. According to Israeli officials, the military leadership believed that there was no urgent need for an attack, and an operation before the vote could provoke an Iranian reaction. "Netanyahu was looking for an opportunity to organize a new air strike against Iran, but was met with resistance from his Chief of Staff. Lt. Col. Eyal Zamir raised a number of objections and eventually came to the conclusion that there was no immediate or urgent need for action," writes the Now. Zamir was not opposed in principle to action against Iran, but opposed the attack precisely before the elections, citing political sensitivity. According to the publication, the renewal of the war may delay the vote or prevent the opposition from forming a government. "If Netanyahu's opponents had won, a return to war could have prevented them from forming a governing coalition within the time allowed by law," the newspaper notes. Opposition politician Avigdor Lieberman demanded an investigation and accused the prime minister of treason: "The attempt to drag Israel into war on the eve of elections, including the sacrifice of Israeli soldiers, just out of fear of losing, is treason against the people." Netanyahu, in turn, published on the eve of the vote an artificial intelligence image of a nuclear mushroom over Tel Aviv and declared that the elections would decide "the very existence of Israel".

The New York Times: Netanyahu was eager to bomb Iran before the elections Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested a new attack on Iran a few weeks before the elections, but was met with opposition from the Chief of Staff. According to Israeli officials, the military leadership believed that there was no urgent need for an attack, and an operation before the vote could provoke an Iranian reaction. "Netanyahu was looking for an opportunity to organize a new air strike against Iran, but was met with resistance from his Chief of Staff. Lt. Col. Eyal Zamir raised a number of objections and eventually came to the conclusion that there was no immediate or urgent need for action," writes the Now. Zamir was not opposed in principle to action against Iran, but opposed the attack precisely before the elections, citing political sensitivity. According to the publication, the renewal of the war may delay the vote or prevent the opposition from forming a government. "If Netanyahu's opponents had won, a return to war could have prevented them from forming a governing coalition within the time allowed by law," the newspaper notes. Opposition politician Avigdor Lieberman demanded an investigation and accused the prime minister of treason: "The attempt to drag Israel into war on the eve of elections, including the sacrifice of Israeli soldiers, just out of fear of losing, is treason against the people." Netanyahu, in turn, published on the eve of the vote an artificial intelligence image of a nuclear mushroom over Tel Aviv and declared that the elections would decide "the very existence of Israel".