Israeli officials believe no strike on Iran will take place before the elections

An Israeli security official assessed Wednesday that Israel is unlikely to launch a preemptive strike against Iran before the elections. At the same time, Israeli authorities have heightened their alert level amid concerns that Tehran or its proxies could attempt to interfere with the vote by launching an attack. Israel has conveyed warnings that if Iran "makes a mistake," it will face an unprecedented Israeli strike. An Israeli official said that, as in the past, everything depends on what U.S. President Donald Trump wants. Without his approval, Israel would be unable to attack Iran. For now, Trump appears to remain undecided and is weighing his options. "There is an understanding that without a U.S. ground operation, there is no chance of achieving anything different or new," another Israeli official said. "Repeating more of the same before the U.S. elections would be a political disaster for Trump. "We also have to consider the possibility of a miscalculation. The Iranians could believe Israel is about to attack and try to strike first." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to lend some support to those assessments. Asked in an interview with Army Radio about the possibility of a preemptive strike on Tehran before the elections, Netanyahu said, "I don't think the timing is convenient for us." Overnight, Trump threatened another major attack on Iran amid growing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. "Wait till you see what we do to Iran. We're going to we're going to do a number. Wait till you see," the U.S. president said during a campaign rally in Alaska. His remarks came after he said last week that he would not launch another attack on Iran before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3. On Tuesday, Netanyahu toured the seam zone along the West Bank in Samaria, where he again warned of a possible "turning of the guns," referring to a scenario in which Palestinian security personnel turn their weapons against Israeli forces. Netanyahu said security warnings had been received concerning the area. "Our enemies are thinking about testing us in the days leading up to the elections," he said. "I warn them that we are prepared for every scenario, including what is known as 'turning of the guns.'" Recently, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned senior U.S. administration and military officials that an escalation with Iran could lead to the postponement of Israel's elections, scheduled for October 27. During those discussions, Zamir raised serious concerns about the political and security consequences of another direct confrontation with the Islamic Republic. According to a source familiar with the discussions, Zamir warned that a military escalation at this stage could force Israel to postpone its general elections.