According to a report in the US press, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of a new attack on Iran during their phone call last week.
In its report, which Axios based on sources close to the matter, it was emphasized that the meeting coincided with the general elections to be held in Israel on October 27 and the US midterm congressional elections on November 3. According to the sources, Netanyahu conveyed intelligence assessments to Trump regarding "alarming" steps Iran is taking toward rebuilding its nuclear program.
The report stated that the contact took place before Trump's public statement that he "would not attack Iran before the midterm elections." Nevertheless, it was alleged that the US and Israeli militaries are on alert against the possibility of Trump changing his stance.
A US source who requested anonymity argued that Netanyahu wants to take action again, stating, "Bibi seems to want to take action again. He has talked about this with Trump a few times, and Trump said, 'It's up to you, Bibi, go ahead and make your preparations.' But there is no firm commitment, actually."
The same source said that the phrase "go ahead and make your preparations" does not mean a clear decision, and that it could be interpreted as "maybe now, maybe later, or maybe never." According to the report, it was also among the allegations that Netanyahu spoke to Trump about targeting Iran's military and nuclear facilities.
MILITARY OPTION AND ELECTION CALCULATIONS
An Israeli official stated that Trump was initially more open to the idea of continuing the attacks, but later shifted to a more cautious line. A US official also said that Trump has displayed an indecisive stance on this issue.
According to the sources, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is one of the strongest supporters of continuing attacks on Iran. In contrast, it was stated that many of Trump's advisors are in favor of maintaining economic pressure at the current stage.
The report also stated that Israeli Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir evaluated the possibility of launching a comprehensive attack on Iran within three weeks during his meeting with his US counterpart, Dan Caine. It was reported that Zamir expressed concern that the resumption of war due to a potential Iranian retaliation could lead to the postponement of elections in Israel.
Regarding assessments of contacts between the US and Iran, it was stated that negotiations have not completely ended, but it cannot be said that they are fully ongoing either. One source stated that Washington is maintaining pressure and that there is an expectation that more moderate actors will be influential on the Iranian side.
DENIAL FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
A White House official stated in a statement to Axios that Trump and Netanyahu did not discuss continuing attacks on Iran. The official said, "Trump said he would not attack Iran before the midterm elections."
Netanyahu's office did not provide a detailed comment on the claim. The statement noted that the Israeli Prime Minister is in constant contact with President Trump and senior US officials, adding, "We are not commenting on this matter."
News Source: 12punto
