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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed for a swift military operation against Iran ahead of Tuesday's general election, securing the backing of Mossad chief Roman Gofman but facing opposition from military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Israeli media reported Monday.
According to Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, Netanyahu advocated the operation despite objections from Zamir, who had not been informed of the proposal in advance. Gofman, the head of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad, reportedly supported the plan.
An unnamed source familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that the proposed operation “could have led to renewed war with Iran,” although it would not have amounted to a resumption of a full-scale military offensive.
The revelations come amid accusations from Israeli opposition figures that Netanyahu has been considering military action against Iran to influence the outcome of Tuesday's parliamentary election, in which his political future hangs in the balance.
However, an Israeli military official told Israel Hayom that the proposed operation was not intended to launch another large-scale offensive against Tehran.
Such an attack would require full coordination between Israel and the United States, along with a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump, rather than unilateral action by Israel, the official said.
According to Israel Hayom, Israeli and foreign officials believe another major military operation against Iran is inevitable, citing what they described as Tehran's progress toward acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The main uncertainty, the report said, concerns when such an operation might take place.
Its timing would depend primarily on operational and intelligence assessments aimed at preventing Iran from reaching what officials consider a point of no return in developing nuclear weapons.
Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that Trump prefers to postpone any major operation until after the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections, believing a strike could be carried out with similar effectiveness at a later date.
The sources also cited concerns that renewed military action could drive up global oil prices and negatively affect the election results.
The newspaper further reported that Israel and the United States were preparing a plan aimed at bringing down the Iranian government.
The reported disagreement follows revelations by Israel's privately owned Channel 12 on Sunday evening of an “unprecedented” confrontation between Netanyahu and Zamir over political directives for a military operation that could rapidly escalate into another confrontation with Iran.
According to the broadcaster, tensions between the prime minister and the military chief had intensified over the preceding 24 hours, with senior military officials concerned that the Iranian issue could be exploited for political advantage ahead of Tuesday's Knesset elections.
Netanyahu has made national security a central theme of his reelection campaign, although opinion polls suggest his right-wing bloc could struggle to secure the parliamentary majority required to form a government.
On Sunday, the prime minister posted an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion in Tel Aviv, accompanied by a warning about the threat of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
He also called for the confrontation with Tehran to be completed during the remaining two years of Trump's presidency.
Netanyahu has led a far-right coalition government since late 2022, widely described as the most extreme in Israel's history.
The latest reports come after two major military confrontations involving Israel, the United States and Iran since June 2025.
Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Iran on June 13, 2025, targeting nuclear and military facilities. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks before the confrontation ended with a ceasefire on June 24.
On Feb. 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched another war against Iran, prompting retaliatory strikes against Israel and what Tehran described as U.S. military facilities in Arab countries.
Washington and Tehran subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18, paving the way for further negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict.
However, the talks later collapsed over disagreements concerning navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global energy shipments and international trade.
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