Israel denies pre-election Iran attack plans amid reported leadership rift

On the eve of Israel's parliamentary elections, reports emerged of a sharp confrontation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir regarding potential military action linked to Iran.

Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the reports, stating that Israel "at no point had any intention to initiate an attack against Iran before the elections." Meanwhile, opposition politician Yair Golan warned against entering a new conflict, arguing that Netanyahu lacks the public trust required to conduct such operations.

In a separate security measure, Israeli officials instructed military forces to prepare for a complete closure of the West Bank following a violent incident near Hebron that left several people injured.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.