Netanyahu pressed for Iran strike before the vote, but Trump said wait — CNN
US and Israeli sources told CNN that Washington asked Israel to delay any joint action; the prime minister's office called the report fake news.
Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied the United States for about a week to back or join strikes on Iran before Israel's election, but the Trump administration asked Israel to hold off until Washington was ready, CNN reported, citing two US officials and an Israeli security source.
According to the report, US forces have large-scale strike options prepared and could act within days of an order. One reason Trump did not agree to immediate action, CNN's Israeli source said, was a warning from army chief Eyal Zamir that an attack could force the election to be postponed.
“Trump did not give a green light.”
Israeli security source, quoted by CNN
The prime minister's office dismissed the report as fake news, and Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had no intention of attacking Iran before the vote. Opposition leader Avigdor Liberman asked the attorney general to open a criminal investigation. Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish delegations were in Tehran the same day for talks aimed at avoiding renewed war.
Reported from
- The Times of Israel26 Oct
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