Netanyahu Reportedly Threatens to Fire Chief of Staff Over Iran Stance

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly stated in closed-door conversations that he would fire Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir if he wins the upcoming elections, following disagreements over potential actions against Iran. The tension reportedly escalated during a discussion on Iran and a IDF operation in Hebron, with political sources suggesting Zamir's tenure would end if Netanyahu secures another term.

A document signed by the political echelon regarding a possible operation in Iran was submitted to the security establishment late last week. This initiative, which had received support from Mossad chief Roman Gofman, was ultimately rejected due to opposition from senior Mossad officials and Chief of Staff Zamir. A military source indicated an effort to portray the Chief of Staff as hesitant to act against Iran.

Netanyahu's office has reportedly criticized the Chief of Staff, accusing his office of insolence after the Prime Minister demanded Zamir deny reports of a dispute between them. The IDF, however, stated that it does not comment on discussions held in closed forums.

Earlier reports from CNN indicated that Netanyahu pushed for new strikes against Iran, but U.S. officials requested he delay any decision until the Trump administration was prepared for joint action. One reason cited for the U.S. hesitation was Zamir's reported conversation with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kane, where he allegedly stated that an attack on Iran would harm the Israeli elections and lead to their postponement.

Defense Minister Israel Katz has denied reports of a conflict between the Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff regarding an attack on Iran, calling the publications "baseless and false." He asserted that coordination between the Prime Minister, himself, and the IDF on the Iran issue has been full and yielded unprecedented achievements. Katz emphasized that Israel had no intention of initiating an attack on Iran before the elections, but would respond forcefully if Iran attacked Israel, dismissing all other reports as false. He criticized the opposition for attempting to exploit these publications to attack the Prime Minister and himself.

The IDF spokesperson stated that the military is focused on its missions and remains on high alert due to various sensitive threats. The IDF's operational activities and considerations are solely security, professional, substantive, and state-oriented, and any other discourse is misleading and irrelevant.