Israeli Media Reports Detail Alleged Netanyahu-Mossad Plan for Pre-Election Iran Operation, Thwarted by US Alert

Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported on November 6, 2026, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director Roman Gofman pursued an unspecified operation against Iran in the days before Israel's October 27 election, despite opposition from senior security officials including IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. The plan reportedly continued until an Israeli operative inadvertently alerted the United States, prompting Washington to intervene and halt it. Netanyahu's office denied the claims, stating an attack before the election was never on the agenda. These reports build on earlier October accounts from Channel 12 and 13 of tensions between Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Zamir over potential military action that could escalate with Iran or disrupt the vote. The New York Times had previously noted Netanyahu's weeks-long push for strikes blocked by the military chief. Related reporting highlights Netanyahu's subsequent calls urging President Trump to resume operations against Iran after the November 3 US midterms, amid Qatar-mediated US-Iran talks. Gofman, appointed Mossad chief in June 2026 after serving as Netanyahu's military secretary, has been described in prior coverage as aligned with the prime minister on Iran policy. The allegations underscore documented frictions between Israel's political leadership and military establishment during a period of ongoing regional conflict and diplomatic maneuvering.