Netanyahu and IDF chief clash over Iran strike order before Israeli election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in a reported standoff with military chief Eyal Zamir over a proposed military operation that defence officials fear could trigger a confrontation with Iran days before Israel's election, according to Israeli media. Channel 12 reported Zamir resisted the unspecified action, demanding further discussions and signed documentation from Netanyahu confirming its legal authorisation. A military source warned the action could cause escalation with Iran at a sensitive moment, risking miscalculation, while unnamed sources expressed concern political leaders might use the Iran issue for electoral advantage. Netanyahu dismissed the report as "nonsense" during a Channel 14 interview, saying "there was no fight" with Zamir, though he earlier stated he had instructed the IDF and Mossad to topple the Iranian regime. Opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, and Yair Golan, accused Netanyahu of risking national security for political gain, with some alleging he sought escalation to postpone the election.