October 13, 2026
Today, Saturday, the Israeli newspaper “Maariv” revealed an American proposal put forward during bilateral consultations that took place in the past two weeks, stipulating that Israel launch a unilateral attack on Iran, before Washington retreated from this approach following Israeli warnings of its internal repercussions.
The newspaper explained that the American retreat came after a warning presented by the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Eyal Zamir, in which he stated that carrying out an attack of this type might lead to the postponement of the Israeli elections expected at the end of this October.
“Maariv” indicated that the American vision completely ruled out the participation of American forces in the attack or the implementation of a joint operation, in light of the reservations of the administration of President Donald Trump to engage in any strikes against Iran before the midterm congressional elections scheduled for next November. According to the report, Zamir informed the American side that the military strike would inevitably have a negative impact on the internal political scene, which prompted both parties to temporarily freeze the course of action without deciding whether it had been canceled permanently.
The report linked the American proposal to Washington’s fear that Iran would regain its capabilities to produce ballistic missiles and drones, pointing out that electoral calculations governed the timing and nature of the step. The US administration fears that military operations will negatively affect the Republican Party’s chances in the midterm elections, while it is estimated that a similar strike by Israel may be in the interest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In this context, Netanyahu’s agenda during the past week included a series of contacts and security visits that were described as “sensitive.”
Meanwhile, there has been no official confirmation from the US administration, the Israeli army, or the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office regarding the details of the supposed US request or the motives for retracting it.
This development comes in conjunction with a report published by Bloomberg, which quoted Western officials as estimating that Iran has succeeded in retaining part of its capabilities to manufacture missiles and drones, allowing it to replenish its military stock despite previous strikes. On the other hand, the White House rejected these assessments, stressing that US military operations succeeded in destroying vital Iranian capabilities, including ballistic missiles, production facilities, and naval forces.
