Speculation About a Strike Against Iran This Month Grow. Netanyahu Said It’s ‘Not Convenient’ For Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he doesn’t believe it’s convenient to strike Iran before the country’s elections later this month.
“In my opinion, that is not convenient for us,” he said when speaking to Army Radio.
The remarks, which are rare as the prime minister usually does not give interviews in Hebrew, follow a report from Channel 12 that described a conversation between Netanyahu and President Donald Trump about the possibility of resuming attacks against Tehran in the coming weeks.
Israeli outlet Channel 12 detailed that Trump and Netanyahu discussed the possibility last week, with Netanyahu expressing interest in taking action before the October 27 elections.
“Bibi spoke to the president about it several times, and the president told him, ‘Well, you know what, Bibi, go ahead and get ready.’ But he didn’t really give him any commitment. ‘Go ahead and get ready’ could be now, could be later, and could be never,” a U.S. official told Channel 12.
The outlet went on to note that Netanyahu claimed to be concerned about steps being taken by Iran on the nuclear front. And while Trump initially appeared to favor resuming the attacks, he latter cooled on the possibility. Most of the president’s advisors recommend maintaining the economic blockade of Iran.
Trump last week rejected resuming attacks against Iran before the midterms in early November. NBC News had also reported that Trump and his national security team discussed resuming the campaign against Tehran in the coming weeks. Axios detailed that the Pentagon instructed the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to conclude preparations to that end.
The outlet went on to cite sources familiar with the matter, who said that if the campaign resumes it will include large bombings of Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear targets.
Iranian officials, in turn, have suggested sending ground troops to countries in the region if a full-fledged war with the U.S. resumes, according to a new report.
The Wall Street Journal detailed that the possibility is part of different options weighed by Tehran to expand the war in such a scenario.
The report did not specify which countries would be targeted, but officials have also warned that Saudi oil facilities could also be targeted. And Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s top national security official, publicly threatened the United Arab Emirates as well.
Other threats from Tehran involve targeting data centers and internet cables in the region. As for U.S. assets, Iranian officials told mediators they could target forces more aggressively, including trying to sink warships and killing their crews.
