Benjamin Netanyahu: Islamic Republic may attack before Israel's election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday, 25 October 2026, two days before the country's parliamentary election, that the Islamic Republic or its proxy groups may attack Israel in the coming days to disrupt the vote. He made the remarks while visiting a battery of the Arrow anti-ballistic missile defence system.

Netanyahu said the Israeli army is ready both for defence and for attack, and that there are intelligence signs that the Islamic Republic and its proxies may try to challenge the election process with an attack. Addressing the government in Tehran, he said they should not test Israel, because they would then receive blows far beyond proportion, adding that Israel is much stronger than they imagine.

Details of the warning and the Israeli army's assessment

The Israeli prime minister gave no details of these intelligence assessments or any sign of a specific plan. At the same time, Israel's Channel 13 reported that Eyal Zamir, the Israeli army chief of staff, said in a closed meeting that he currently sees no operational need to strike the Islamic Republic before the election. This is not the first time Netanyahu has spoken of a possible attack by Tehran in the weeks leading up to the election.

Israel's parliamentary election will be held on Tuesday, 27 October, and the US midterm elections a week later, on 3 November. In the same days, Donald Trump told Fox News again that he is deciding between a deal with the Islamic Republic and "finishing the job"; a remark he had also repeated after voting early in Florida.

New threats from the Islamic Republic

Netanyahu's warning comes as officials of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly spoken in recent days of widening the scope of attacks, including putting American diplomats and staff on the target list. Abbas Araghchi, the Islamic Republic's foreign minister, also said on Sunday that Tehran's policies will not change, with or without war.

Two days before Israel's election, Netanyahu spoke of intelligence signs of a possible attack by the Islamic Republic and its proxies.