Netanyahu pushes Trump for Iran strikes after 2026 midterms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urging President Donald Trump to launch a new wave of strikes on Iran following the U.S. midterm elections held this past Tuesday, according to two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter. Netanyahu aims to form an emergency government after he and his far-right allies lost their parliamentary majority in the Israeli elections last week. A return to full-scale war could strengthen his position domestically.

Netanyahu pressed for military action during a phone call with Trump over the weekend. A person briefed on the conversation said Trump did not commit to taking action. Trump told reporters on Sunday that the call was very good and that the two leaders discussed Iran, though he offered no specific details. The White House has not directly responded to questions about the content of their discussion.

Diplomatic efforts are advancing in parallel. Qatari mediators held two rounds of talks with Iranian officials last week, the two regional officials said. They are working toward a framework in which Iran would cease attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade on Iranian ports. More talks are scheduled for this week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they discussed classified briefings from American and Israeli officials.

Other U.S. allies in the Middle East are warning against immediate strikes. A third regional official said these allies believe new attacks could destabilize the region. They fear Iran-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen would increase attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping. Iran-backed militias in Iraq could also become involved. That official was not authorized to speak publicly.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a news conference on Saturday that the administration prefers a diplomatic solution. He noted that Trump has incredible confidence in military action if needed but has not made a decision. Rubio confirmed that talks are ongoing. Netanyahu had pushed for renewed strikes even before the Israeli election to highlight his security credentials to a public scarred by the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Iranian officials say they are prepared for both war and diplomacy. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader, met with military chiefs and urged an immediate response to any threat from the U.S. or Israel. He called for expanding the list of potential targets. Khamenei has not appeared publicly since Israel and the U.S. launched opening strikes on Feb. 28 that killed his father. Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei told state television that the tone from the U.S. has changed, calling it a good sign. He mentioned a letter from Vice President JD Vance that Iran received last week but said he had not responded.

Tensions remain high in the Gulf. October saw the most attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz since March. At the Manama Dialogue security summit in Bahrain, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash warned that if U.S. and Iranian positions are not bridged, the region must worry about the worst. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the next escalation would be more destructive and lead nowhere. China announced Monday that it will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November to encourage dialogue.