Netanyahu’s Sequential Strategy Focuses on Likud, Right-Wing Bloc, and Iran Ahead of 2026 Elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is employing a sequential, focused strategy ahead of the 2026 elections, concentrating efforts first on strengthening the Likud party, then consolidating the right-wing bloc, and ultimately targeting Iran as a long-term security challenge. This approach, described as a "column" strategy, involves addressing one issue at a time in a deliberate order, ensuring each stage is completed before moving to the next. It reflects a serial attention model common in strategic and military theory, emphasizing concentrated force rather than dispersing resources across multiple fronts simultaneously.

Netanyahu’s initial focus is on securing the Likud party, followed by solidifying the right-wing coalition, which he views not merely as electoral competitors but as a federated alliance committed to forming a government. This political bloc model has been a key innovation since 2015, likened to the Republican Party’s coalition in the United States. After the October 7 attacks, Netanyahu’s leadership style shifted from managing risks within existing frameworks to attempting to reshape the strategic environment itself.

The strategy also extends to security matters, where Netanyahu has prioritized conflicts sequentially: first Gaza, then Lebanon, and finally Iran. The latter is considered his legacy project, with the upcoming U.S. midterm elections on November 3 expected to influence Washington’s political landscape and, by extension, Israel’s strategic options. Netanyahu’s approach requires patience and timing, as delays in one phase could stall the entire process, allowing adversaries to regroup.

The upcoming Israeli elections are thus pivotal, representing a choice between Netanyahu’s transformative leadership model and the more cautious, risk-managing approach advocated by figures like Gadi Eizenkot. Netanyahu aims to leverage his "column" strategy to change the political and security realities step-by-step, but its success depends on closing each stage effectively. If any stage falters, the strategy risks becoming ineffective.

Summary: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is advancing a step-by-step strategy focusing first on Likud, then the right-wing bloc, and ultimately Iran, aiming to reshape Israel’s political and security landscape ahead of the 2026 elections. This approach requires sequential success at each stage, with the upcoming elections critical to determining its viability.