Netanyahu and Trump discuss striking the Islamic Republic again before the elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the possibility of resuming attacks on the Islamic Republic before Israel's parliamentary election in a phone call last week with US President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, two US officials, an Israeli official and an informed source revealed details of the call; the subject was a joint US-Israeli operation against the Islamic Republic's nuclear and military facilities.

According to senior US officials, Netanyahu cited intelligence indicating that the Islamic Republic is trying to rebuild its nuclear capability. One US official said Trump told Netanyahu to get ready, but made no firm commitment to resume military operations. Meanwhile, the Israeli military and US Central Command (CENTCOM) are on alert and finalizing preparations for the day Trump gives the order to strike.

Response from the White House and the Israeli prime minister's office

A White House official denied that the two leaders discussed resuming the war, and recalled that Trump has said the United States will not attack the Islamic Republic before the congressional midterm elections. The Israeli prime minister's office confirmed regular calls between Netanyahu and Trump, but said nothing about their content.

According to the same sources, the call about a possible strike took place before Trump announced there would be no attack before the midterms. On Tuesday, Trump had said he had not yet decided how to proceed with the Islamic Republic and that he will decide on the Islamic Republic soon.

The calendar of two elections and the shadow of war

Israel's Knesset election will be held in late October and the US midterm elections in early November, and any new attack could affect both. On the evening of Sunday, 11 October, Netanyahu had also held a meeting with senior Israeli security officials on the Islamic Republic.

The report comes as the Islamic Republic keeps tension high in the region by attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and backing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, while its oil exports have fallen to zero under the US naval blockade. At an election rally in Ohio, Trump had earlier said the United States may have gone too far in targeting the Islamic Republic's leaders.

Citing the Islamic Republic's effort to rebuild its nuclear capability, Netanyahu has asked Trump to launch a new round of attacks before Israel's election.