Shafaq News- Middle East/ Washington/ Tehran
Israel has intelligence suggesting that Iran and its allied forces may launch attacks to disrupt Israel’s parliamentary election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, warning that any attack would trigger a disproportionate military response.
Speaking at an Arrow anti-ballistic missile battery two days before the October 27 election, Netanyahu said the Israeli military was prepared for both offensive and defensive operations.
“Don’t test us. You will suffer disproportionate blows,” Netanyahu added. “We are much stronger than you think.”
US President Donald Trump said there would be no strike on Iran that night, hours after suggesting that Washington “may do another little Epic Fury,” referring to the war against Iran that began on February 28.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump issued an ultimatum to Tehran, questioning whether it would honor any potential commitments while arguing that either outcome would amount to an American victory.
“Do I make a deal with them, or do I finish them off? That’s the only question,” Trump said, framing the choice as one between diplomacy and an escalation of military operations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said a possible resumption of war with Israel and the United States would not change Tehran’s current policies.
“Recently, there has been talk of a new war, but I am already thinking about the post-war period,” Araghchi told a televised event in Tehran.
“They have already done so twice and have seen the results. If they want to try again, they know they will achieve no different outcome from those of the past.”
The latest threats come amid months of unsuccessful efforts to reach a lasting settlement, with the war approaching its ninth month. Previous proposals have focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing restrictions on Iranian shipping and ending hostilities, while Washington has pushed to include limits on Iran’s nuclear program in a broader agreement.
Read more: US, Iran clash over Hormuz security and negotiations