Israel on Highest Alert as US Midterms Near, Iran War Fears Grow
Voters across the United States go to the polls Tuesday, midway through President Donald Trump’s second term. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships are on the ballot, along with thousands of local offices and ballot measures.
Trump has repeatedly promised not to order fresh strikes on Iran before the vote, while hinting that military action could resume once it is over. The US military buildup in the region continues, and diplomatic efforts have stalled.
Israeli media report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has been lobbying for new strikes on Iran, ostensibly to topple its government. Israeli officials concede that the final call belongs to the White House.
An Israeli news website reported Monday that the military remained on high alert amid US and Israeli fears that Iran could launch a surprise attack, directly or through allied groups, on American interests in the region or on Israel. According to the report, intelligence agencies worry that Tehran could stage a large-scale military provocation capable of influencing the midterms.
The website said the Israeli military had stepped up both defensive and offensive preparations in recent weeks, in coordination with US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Pentagon. Citing unnamed Israeli military officials, it said security coordination between Israel and the US had reached record levels and that Israel would get advance notice if Washington decided to strike Iran.
Still, Israeli military assessments put the chance of a US preemptive strike before the midterms as low, the report said, because Trump prefers to exhaust negotiations and diplomatic pressure before turning to force.
The website added that more than 3,000 US troops are stationed in Israel. It noted that no unusual rise in arrivals of American military aircraft had been recorded over the past week, in contrast to the run-up to earlier escalations.
Israeli officials also believe Tehran is stalling in its talks with Washington, the report said, with disputes over Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles still unresolved.
Fears of renewed war
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have simmered since the US and Israel went to war with Iran in February. A ceasefire followed in April, and US-Iran confrontations flared again in July.
Warnings are now emerging that Netanyahu could try to steer Washington toward another clash with Tehran. In an article published Sunday, Amos Harel, military analyst at an Israeli daily, cautioned that Netanyahu might escalate militarily and politically to hold on to power, exploiting the Iran issue and the pressures surrounding the US midterms. Harel also warned against efforts to persuade Washington to resume military operations when there is no domestic mandate for another war.
An Israeli television channel reported Sunday that Netanyahu pressed Trump in a phone call to restart the war on Iran after the midterms, while the US president favored giving diplomacy another chance.
The heightened alert also coincides with political uncertainty in Israel after last week’s parliamentary elections. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, against 48 for opposition parties led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot and 19 for Arab parties. No bloc reached the 61 seats needed to form a government, leaving Israel in political deadlock. The results have complicated coalition-building, with opposition parties split over whether to seek support from Arab parties.
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