IDF Chief of Staff Briefed on Potential Iran Conflict, Warns of Election Delay

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was briefed two days ago by senior American officials on the U.S. military's preparations for a potential renewal of widespread conflict with Iran within the next three weeks. The report, aired by Channel 12 News, indicated that during the conversation, Zamir raised the possibility that such a conflict could lead to the postponement of elections in Israel. This concern stems from the assessment that Iran might retaliate against a U.S. and Israeli attack by launching missiles toward Israel.

The report follows statements from senior U.S. officials who said the Pentagon had instructed U.S. Central Command to finalize preparations for a possible resumption of hostilities against Iran. These sources clarified that the directive did not specify a date for an attack and that U.S. President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision.

Trump is reportedly considering initiating renewed conflict before elections in both the United States and Israel, with a final decision possibly expected within a week to ten days. If launched, the U.S. plan would likely be coordinated with Israel, involving IDF participation in strikes. Sources familiar with the matter described the operation as intended to be powerful yet relatively short, targeting Iranian energy, infrastructure, and nuclear facilities.

However, amidst these military preparations, Trump issued a different message, stating that the United States would not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections. He asserted that the U.S. is currently engaged in "productive talks" with Iran, although sanctions would remain in place. Trump spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, but a White House official stated that the Iranian issue was not discussed, with the conversation focusing on the October 7th memorial day, Israeli elections, and Netanyahu's poll numbers.