Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Saturday evening that Iran has resumed its nuclear program and intends to destroy Israel, describing the final days before Tuesday's election as "a fateful week" in a new campaign video.
"Iran has restarted its nuclear program, and it wants to destroy us within a short time," Netanyahu claimed, framing the October 27 vote as a decision with consequences for Israel's survival.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool)
The prime minister also claimed that all of Israel's enemies want him to lose the election. Echoing U.S. President Donald Trump's public support for his reelection bid, Netanyahu declared that "the very existence of the State of Israel and the prevention of its destruction are at stake."
His remarks came as the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that Trump was leaning toward renewed military action against Iran, although he had not made a final decision. According to the report, the president has been briefed on several Pentagon options, including strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and infrastructure, as well as operations to seize islands controlled by Tehran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, struck a different tone Saturday, calling for a renewed attempt to finalize an agreement with Washington. In remarks broadcast on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian blamed the United States for the collapse of previous negotiations.
"We were having negotiations, the cowards [Americans] messed everything up. I still think we should go and conclude it," he said, according to Reuters.
The developments follow reports in recent days that Israel has been pressing for renewed military action against Iran, potentially even before the election. The Financial Times reported that Netanyahu had planned a major attack for the weekend of October 10 but was blocked by Trump, who opposed restarting the fighting before the U.S. midterm elections.
Netanyahu rejected the report, calling it biased and untrue. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has warned that another war so close to the October 27 election could force its postponement, adding another layer of uncertainty to the final days of the campaign.