Netanyahu discussed with Trump resuming the war on Iran before the Israeli elections

The officials added that their impression is that Netanyahu "is interested in resuming attacks against Iran before the election date."

According to the officials, during his call with Trump, Netanyahu provided justifications for launching a new military operation, including "a series of new worrying steps taken by Iran in the nuclear field," without providing further details.

The channel quoted one of the US officials as saying that Netanyahu spoke with Trump about this matter several times, and that the President told him: "Okay, go ahead and get ready."

The official added: "But he did not actually give him any firm commitment; the phrase 'go ahead and get ready' could mean starting now, later, or not starting at all."

In contrast, the channel quoted a high-ranking Israeli official as saying that Netanyahu claimed, during meetings held in the past few days with security establishment leaders, that it was Trump who initiated the possibility of resuming large-scale fighting against Iran before the elections.

According to the official, Netanyahu claimed that Trump asked him whether Israel would join this operation.

The White House refused to comment to the channel on its report, while Netanyahu's office denied that the Prime Minister is urging Trump to attack Iran before the elections.

Earlier on Tuesday, the leader of the opposition "Yisrael Beiteinu" party, Avigdor Lieberman, said: "I have no doubt that Netanyahu is strongly seeking to take a military step before the elections, whether against Iran, Hezbollah, or Hamas."

Lieberman added, in statements reported by the Israeli newspaper "Israel Hayom," that "Netanyahu is not driven by security considerations, but by the desire to hold onto power."

During the recent weeks, Netanyahu has intensified his presence on the security file within his election campaign, presenting himself as the "most capable of confronting" what he describes as "security threats," in an approach that observers said re-employs one of the most prominent pillars of his previous election campaigns.

The Israeli opposition accuses Netanyahu and his government of using the security file for electoral purposes, and holds them responsible for the failures that preceded the October 7, 2023 attack, in addition to the decline in Israel's international standing during the years of war.

On June 13, 2025, a military confrontation broke out between Israel and Iran that lasted 12 days, during which Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Fordow, along with other military sites.

Tehran responded by launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israeli cities and bases.

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran, the first strike of which resulted in the killing of prominent Iranian leaders, most notably Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while negotiations between the two sides to reach a ceasefire remain stalled.