Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the State Memorial Ceremony for the three year anniversary of the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack, in remembrance of Israel Defense Forces and security members who fell in the War of Redemption in the Mt. Herzl Cemetery, Jerusalem, on Monday, Oct 5, 2026. DEBBIE HILL/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday he was not in favour of a pre-emptive strike on Iran before Israel’s Oct 27 election, while warning Tehran and its allies against attacking Israel.
“It is not convenient for us, it’s no good,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Israel’s Army Radio, responding to questions about a possible strike and opposition allegations that he was seeking a military confrontation ahead of the vote.
“Even if Iran fires missiles at us they will blame me,” he said, while repeating that Israel would respond forcefully if attacked.
Netanyahu declined to discuss whether Israel might launch a pre-emptive strike after the election or elaborate on his recent talks with Washington about Iran.
The United States and Iran have been at war since Feb 28, when US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered Iranian attacks on Israel and Gulf states. Israel and Iran have not exchanged fire since June.
Asked whether Israel was helping Saudi Arabia counter attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, Netanyahu said he would not discuss such matters. He added that several countries in the region were turning to Israel following what he described as its military successes.
Saudi Arabia has faced a widening wave of Houthi attacks over the past week, including a strike on Riyadh airport on Saturday that killed 13 people.
Netanyahu also said Iran’s allies were seeking to attack Israel before the election.
Defence Minister Israel Katz, speaking from a security zone occupied by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, warned Hezbollah against launching attacks.
“Hezbollah will suffer a severe blow and lose additional territories in southern Lebanon within the Nabatieh and Litani regions, which will become part of Israel’s permanent security zone,” Katz said, adding that the military was prepared to carry out the operation.
Katz said a million Shi’ites would be displaced and that Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut would not be spared.
Israel launched air strikes and a ground invasion in southern Lebanon this year alongside its war on Iran, after Hezbollah fired into Israel in retaliation for the attacks on Tehran.
Hundreds of thousands of people from Lebanon’s Shi’ite Muslim community, which forms Hezbollah’s main support base, have been displaced by the fighting.