OMM Newsroom
The head of Israel’s Mossad, Roman Gofman, backed a swift military operation against Iran proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir opposed it, Israeli media reported Monday, on the eve of the country’s general elections. Anadolu Agency reported the account.
According to the daily “Israel Hayom”, Netanyahu pushed for the operation, but Zamir opposed it and had not been informed in advance. Gofman supported the proposal.
The newspaper quoted an unnamed source familiar with the discussions as saying the operation “could have led to renewed war with Iran”, though it would not have amounted to a return to an intensive military offensive.
Israeli opposition figures have accused Netanyahu over the past week of seeking to attack Iran to influence the election result. An Israeli military official told the newspaper that the proposed operation did not involve restarting a large-scale offensive.
The official said an attack on that scale would require full coordination between Israel and the US and a decision by US President Donald Trump, rather than action by Israel alone.
“Israel Hayom” reported that Israeli and foreign officials consider a large-scale attack on Iran inevitable, citing what they described as Tehran’s progress toward acquiring a nuclear bomb. The remaining question, according to the report, is when it would take place.
The timing would depend mainly on operational and intelligence considerations aimed at preventing Iran from reaching a point of no return in developing a nuclear weapon, the report said.
Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that Trump wants to wait until after the US midterm elections on Nov. 3, believing an attack could be carried out just as effectively later. They also cited concerns that an attack could push oil prices higher and harm election results.
The newspaper also reported that Israel and the US are preparing a plan to bring down the Iranian government.
Reported dispute between Netanyahu and Zamir
On Sunday evening, privately owned Israeli broadcaster “Channel 12” reported an “unprecedented” confrontation between Netanyahu and Zamir over political directives for a military operation that could quickly lead to a confrontation with Iran.
The channel said the dispute had reached a peak over the preceding 24 hours, amid concern in the military establishment that the Iran issue could be used for political gain ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections.
Netanyahu has put security issues at the centre of his election campaign. Opinion polls suggest his bloc will struggle to secure the parliamentary majority needed to form a government.
On Sunday, he posted an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion in Tel Aviv, alongside a warning about the danger of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon and a call to complete the confrontation with Tehran during the two years remaining in Trump’s term.
Netanyahu has led a far-right government since late 2022, widely described as the most extreme in Israel’s history.
On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran targeting nuclear and military facilities. Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones before the confrontation ended in a ceasefire on June 24.
Then, on Feb. 28, the US and Israel launched a war against Iran, which responded with attacks on Israel and what it described as US military facilities in Arab countries.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 and began negotiations, which later collapsed over disagreements about navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage for energy supplies and goods.
