Trump urges Netanyahu to complete offensive against Iran
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Businessday
Donald Trump called on Israeli voters to re-elect Benjamin Netanyahu and complete the offensive launched against Iran. The Israeli prime minister says Washington could resume operations against Tehran if he stays in power, while Trump is maintaining the blockade targeting Iran, according to their public statements.
Netanyahu said on Sunday evening that Trump was ready to act to “eliminate the Iranian threat”, provided he remained in power. The Israeli prime minister said he had already ordered Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence service, and the army to bring down the Iranian regime, Businessday reports.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said that the United States would not attack Iran before the US midterm elections on 3 November. She added that the blockade would remain in place and that oil exports passing through the Strait of Hormuz had reached record volumes.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli chief of staff and Netanyahu’s main centrist rival, called Trump a “true friend of Israel”. He said he was counting on his cooperation with whichever leader was chosen by voters.
Tuesday’s election is the first in Israel since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023. It comes after a series of wars on several fronts and, according to Businessday, gives voters an opportunity to pronounce on the security failure that occurred during those attacks.
Trump’s call is part of a series of US statements on Iran and the Israeli election. On 26 October, he had already called on Israelis to re-elect Netanyahu, while the previous day he had threatened to intensify the US offensive against Iran.
