Netanyahu denies clash with army chief over Iran operation before Israeli election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied reports of a dispute with Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over a proposed military operation that could trigger conflict with Iran ahead of Israel's Oct 27 parliamentary election. Channel 12 reported Zamir sought detailed discussion and signed legal authorization from political leaders before executing instructions, citing military concerns that tensions with Iran could be exploited for electoral gain. A security official warned the operation could rapidly escalate into confrontation and miscalculation. Netanyahu rejected the claims, saying "there is no confrontation," and instructed Mossad and the military to work toward toppling Iran's government. He also posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv, prompting opposition leaders to accuse him of spreading fear before the vote.