The pre-election dispute between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir centered on military strike preparations that commanders warned Iranian intelligence could detect, potentially prompting Tehran to launch a preemptive attack, i24 News reported. While Zamir and senior military officials support action against Iran, they objected to conducting visible preparations on the eve of Tuesday’s parliamentary election, and Haaretz reported that senior commanders also suspect Netanyahu’s recent military base tours were intended to provoke Tehran.
Although Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz denied any clash with the military, a senior Israeli source told CBS News the rift is credible because Israel’s military censor cleared Channel 12’s initial report for broadcast, signaling that defense chiefs wanted voters informed before the polls opened. Katz also issued a statement denying reports that Netanyahu plans to replace Zamir if re-elected, as aides to the prime minister briefed against the military chief.