PM: Attack on Iran ‘not convenient’ now, but signs show Israel’s enemies preparing assault

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Wednesday that he is against a US or Israeli attack on Iran in the coming days, ahead of the Israeli election on October 27. “In my opinion, that is not convenient for us,” he told Army Radio. Netanyahu has recently warned that Iran could try to disrupt the national vote by attacking Israel directly or through the terror groups Hamas in the Gaza Strip, or Hezbollah in Lebanon. “It is true that Israel’s enemies want to attack us in these days and there are indications of that,” he said. “I very much hope they don’t.” Before previous attacks on Iran, Israel and the US have sought to downplay the likelihood of an attack in order to catch the Islamic Republic off guard. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms Netanyahu also told Army Radio that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party will not become defense minister in the next government — a position Ben Gvir has voiced interest in — assuming the Netanyahu-led bloc of parties wins. “I know he wants it, but he doesn’t decide,” said Netanyahu. “Defense will remain in Likud.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits for an interview on the pro-government Channel 14, October 13, 2026. (Screenshot) Netanyahu very rarely gives interviews to Israeli media outlets other than the pro-government Channel 14. Advertisement The premier’s comments on Iran come a day after Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu had urged US President Donald Trump to renew the fighting against Iran before the October 27 election and the US midterm elections a week later, and as the American leader said he would make a decision on Iran “very soon.” Trump has reportedly shifted back and forth on the issue every few days. The Prime Minister’s Office denied that Netanyahu was seeking to restart the war with Iran before the election, a move that critics allege would be politically motivated. On Tuesday, Netanyahu spoke to Channel 14, suggesting Hamas and Hezbollah could target Israel as part of what he said was an Iranian effort to orchestrate an attack to influence the election. Asked about reports of such a planned attack, Netanyahu said, “I can tell you that’s right. Just right. They want to do it directly or via one of their proxies.” Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks with Israeli troops in southern Syria, August 25, 2026. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry) Meanwhile, Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Wednesday to capture additional territory in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah “joins Iran in an attack on Israel.” Katz is known for bellicose remarks, and there has been an increase in such comments in recent weeks, ahead of the election. Advertisement “If Hezbollah joins Iran in an attack on Israel, it will be dealt a heavy blow and lose additional territory in southern Lebanon, in the areas of Nabatieh and the Litani, which will become part of Israel’s permanent security zone,” the defense minister said during a visit to the IDF’s southern Lebanon buffer zone. Katz said “the IDF is prepared to carry out the ground offensive,” and that the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, “will also be evacuated, and its terror infrastructure will be struck, and more than one million Shiites will become displaced in Lebanon.” “[Hassan] Nasrallah destroyed Lebanon’s Shiite community before he was eliminated, and Naim Qassem could annihilate it completely, until he too is eliminated,” he added, referring to the current Hezbollah leader and his assassinated predecessor. On Tuesday, Katz said at an event that “we are detecting attempts by our enemies, led by Iran and its proxies, to carry out attacks that will influence the results of the election in Israel.” Trump, meanwhile, issued a fresh threat against Iran while campaigning in Alaska. “Wait until you see what we do to Iran. We’re going to do a number,” he said. “We sort of had it. You know, we’ve had it.” Trump: Oh, wait until you see what we do to Iran. We're going to do a number. We sort of had it. You know we've had it. pic.twitter.com/iCeLL3AyjU — Acyn (@Acyn) October 14, 2026 Advertisement He also said: “If you want to see trouble, let [Iran] have a nuclear weapon… That’ll be real trouble.” He added that increased oil prices due to the war with Iran are “a small price to pay for stopping them from having a nuclear weapon.” Channel 12 reported that Iranian newspapers on Wednesday mocked Trump, while threatening the country will strike back at any attack and hinting that it could target digital networks. State-run newspaper Kayhan ran a front-page assault on Trump, declaring, “The defeat against Iran made Trump nervous, crazy, and paralyzed,” according to a Hebrew translation from the Israeli network. Another headline on the page asserted, “America’s credibility has been severely damaged, to the point that even its allies doubt it.” The war started on February 28, when ​the US and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. The US and Iran signed a short-lived interim agreement in June that intended to establish a 60-day ceasefire and provide a framework for a permanent peace deal. The deal collapsed with renewed military actions and disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas flowed before the war. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. 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