Report claims Netanyahu, Mossad chief planned Iran strike before polls; PM's office denies it

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad chief Roman Gofman had secretly planned a major military strike on Iran before the elections, according to a claim in Israeli media. The claim says a minor lapse by an internal security official let the US administration learn of the plan, and Washington intervened in time to halt the possible attack. The report has caused considerable stir in West Asian politics, with varied reactions coming in from around the world.

It is said that just days before the October 27 elections in Israel, Netanyahu and Gofman had completed preparations for a forceful military action against Iran. The operation was to be kept so secret that the enemy country would get no inkling. But because of an Israeli security official's negligence or mistake, news of the mission reached the US.

When the US learnt of the possible attack, it took immediate steps to keep tensions from rising. The US administration strongly opposed the Israeli plan and stopped it. According to the report, the information has been made public in keeping with Israel's military censorship rules. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office has rejected the report. The office has said plainly that Netanyahu had made no plan to attack Iran before the elections, and has called the reports foolish and baseless.

The matter is said to reflect a major tussle in Israel's internal political and military circles. Reports on October 25 and 26 said Netanyahu and Army chief Eyal Zamir had a sharp disagreement and dispute over the attack. It is claimed that Netanyahu had given direct orders for military action, but senior army officers feared that a sudden attack on Iran could trigger a terrible, large-scale war between the two countries.

It is said that had such a war broken out, the crucial October 27 elections might also have been postponed. Zamir was the only senior security official who opposed the aggressive stance of Defence Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to the claim, Zamir objected to the order for the attack and demanded written and legal approval from Netanyahu.

Peace talks mediated by Qatar are currently under way to reduce tensions between the US and Iran. The emergence of this report in such a delicate climate has further complicated matters. According to available information, Netanyahu had appealed to US President Donald Trump that heavy attacks on Iran be launched again after the midterm elections.

But the Trump administration for now wants to find a way out through talks rather than war, and wants to give diplomacy some more time. In a statement on Friday, Trump said the US is currently talking to Iran on several issues and that not a single American soldier has been killed in the past six to seven months. Trump also claimed that had Iran not been stopped from building nuclear weapons, the very existence of Israel and the entire Middle East would be at risk today. After all these developments, the world is now watching which turn global politics takes next.