Israel splits on election day, Netanyahu clashes with army chief over Iran attack

Israel is holding parliamentary elections amid heightened political and military tensions, with local media reports suggesting a possible clash between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the army's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, over plans for an attack on Iran. According to Israeli television stations Channel 12 and Channel 13, Zamir was the only senior security official to oppose a military operation against Tehran, which Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly supported.

The head of the Israeli army has warned that such an attack could trigger an immediate conflict with Iran, jeopardizing the country's security and the normal conduct of parliamentary elections. Israeli media also reported that Netanyahu could aim to dismiss Zamir if he secures a new government mandate, unless the general decides to resign. However, the Israeli prime minister has categorically denied these claims, describing the reports as untrue.

Trump Rejects Request for Joint Strike on Iran
According to CNN, Israel had been pressuring the US administration in recent weeks to conduct joint strikes against Iranian targets. But US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected the request, with one of the concerns being related to the consequences that a military escalation could have on the Israeli electoral process. According to reports, Zamir had also warned top US military leaders about the risks of the operation. The Israeli general had requested further consultations and a written legal authorization, signed by Netanyahu, before taking any military action. He had also warned that Israeli military movements could be misinterpreted by Tehran and provoke a preemptive Iranian attack.

In contrast, the director of the Shin Bet internal security service, David Zini, and the head of the Mossad, Roman Goffman, were reportedly in favor of taking immediate action. “Time is not on our side,” Goffman reportedly said. The Haaretz newspaper reported that there was also opposition within the Mossad, as some senior officials suspected that the military plans might be linked to the prime minister’s political and electoral interests. Another point of disagreement between the political and military leadership, according to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, concerns the army’s operation in Hebron, in the West Bank.

The operation was launched after two Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinian gunmen and reportedly displaced some 3,000 Palestinians. Zamir is said to have argued that military objectives had been achieved and that there was no longer a legal basis to prevent residents from returning to their homes. During the operation, some 500 buildings were searched and only two weapons were found, while Netanyahu reportedly called for the intervention to continue.

Netanyahu denies Zamir's dismissal: We will continue to work together
The Israeli prime minister has reacted sharply to the reports, denying both the clash with the army chief and the claims about his dismissal.

"I have no intention of dismissing the Chief of General Staff. We continue to work together for Israel's security. My goal is to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat forever, in cooperation with my friend Donald Trump ," Netanyahu said. Defense Minister Israel Katz also dismissed the reports as baseless, stressing that Israel had no plans to launch an attack on Iran before the election. On the other hand, Netanyahu's rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, reacted by warning that national security should not be used for political interests. Eisenkot said that Zamir should complete his term according to the legal deadlines and accused Netanyahu of putting his political interests above the security of the state. The reports of the disagreements come at a crucial moment for Israel, as citizens vote on the composition of the new parliament and the future political direction of the country.

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