How Israel’s election could shape next phase of Iran war
Most of the Israeli prime minister's main rivals in the Oct. 27 election agree that Israel's war to overthrow the Iranian regime should continue, but only he claims to have President Donald Trump's blessing to do so.
WASHINGTON — As Israel's Oct. 27 elections approach, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing to resume the war effort to overthrow Iran’s government and claiming to have US President Donald Trump’s blessing to do so.
Most of Netanyahu's challengers agree the war should continue and have criticized the incumbent prime minister for halting the air campaign in coordination with the US. Only one leading opposition contender, former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, favors a more cautious approach.
But whoever wins and leads the next government, Israel's ability to sustain a renewed campaign against Tehran will depend heavily on Trump's willingness to back it, analysts and some Israeli political frontrunners say.
Trump endorsed Netanyahu a week before the vote, appearing to support the Israeli leader's pledge to finish the war. In front of reporters at Ovda Air Base in southern Israel on Monday, Netanyahu spoke with Trump by mobile phone.
