Netanyahu Touts Trump Endorsement and Teases Iran War Restart
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted a direct endorsement from US President Donald Trump during a televised appearance late Sunday, suggesting the two allies could restart military operations against Iran if his coalition wins Tuesday’s national vote. The unfolding political showdown directly impacts Israeli voters casting ballots in the country’s first election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, as well as regional security actors monitoring the ongoing US-Iran conflict that began on February 28.
White House Rules Out Pre-Midterm Strikes as Opposition Alleges Fear-Mongering
Trump urged voters on social media to back Netanyahu so they can finish the job that was started earlier, prompting the 77-year-old Israeli leader to state he has already instructed the Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to bring down the Iranian regime. In response to the remarks, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated via email that the United States will not attack Iran prior to the November 3 US midterm elections, while confirming that existing economic blockades and oil flow restrictions through the Hormuz Strait remain in full effect.
The high-stakes election serves as a referendum on Netanyahu’s long tenure and the multi-front security crises that followed the 2023 attacks. Polls indicate Netanyahu’s Likud party could lose seats, threatening the razor-thin majority held by his coalition of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties. Meanwhile, leading opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot condemned Netanyahu’s campaign tactics, accusing the prime minister of relying on fear-mongering, lies, and threats while praising Trump as a committed ally to Israel‘s security.
