Benjamin Netanyahu urged military action on Iran amid tight election race

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed the armed forces to take action against Iran while intensifying catastrophic rhetoric in the final stretch before Tuesday's national election, according to domestic and international media reports.

With his right-wing coalition trailing narrowly in opinion surveys, Netanyahu warned voters of potential atomic destruction. On social media, he published an artificial intelligence image showing a nuclear blast wiping out Tel Aviv, cautioning the public that voting for the opposition could endanger their survival. In media appearances, he described the upcoming vote as an existential decision for the nation.

Tensions reportedly flared between Netanyahu and military leadership over the strategy. Israel's Channel 12 reported that the prime minister clashed with military chief of staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir regarding an unspecified instruction that senior defence figures feared could trigger a direct confrontation with Tehran. Zamir asked for the order to be submitted in writing.

While Netanyahu disputed the report and the defence ministry stated it was not planning military moves against Iran, the Israel Defense Forces released a statement noting only that its operational choices rest strictly on objective security assessments. Furthermore, CNN reported that Netanyahu recently tried to convince Donald Trump to join an offensive against Tehran, though the US leader dismissed the idea until after the upcoming American congressional elections.

The prime minister's alarmist messaging marks a sharp shift from earlier statements celebrating previous strikes that he previously claimed had shattered Iranian missile facilities and enrichment infrastructure.

Retired general Gadi Eisenkot, who leads the opposition, accused Netanyahu of attempting to treat the military as a political tool for electoral survival. Surveys indicate Eisenkot's opposition alliance is positioned to win more seats than the governing coalition, though both sides may struggle to assemble the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

Netanyahu has also faced domestic pushback on the economic front after suggesting that Israel could turn to cryptocurrencies to bypass potential international sanctions. The Bank of Israel issued a rare rebuttal, stating that digital assets cannot evade sanctions and urging the government to safeguard relationships with key international trade partners instead.

The prime minister has aggressively promoted endorsements from Trump, though polling indicates the backing has had little positive impact on voters. Netanyahu faces ongoing corruption proceedings that could pose greater legal danger should his coalition fall from power.