Trump Approval Needed Before Israel Targets Iran Ahead of October Elections

Former Israeli Consul General in New York Ido Aharoni stated on Saturday that Israel is unlikely to launch major military operations against Iran before the U.S. October elections without President Donald Trump’s approval.

Aharoni emphasized during his remarks that Israel would not act alone without coordination with the U.S. administration. The comments followed reports that Iran had identified new Israeli targets it claimed could not be repaired for years if struck.

President Trump recently indicated he is considering a major attack on Iran, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington for talks with Trump. Although Aharoni does not expect Israel to independently reengage Iran before the October 27 elections, he noted that the country could still serve a military role if requested by the United States.

“If the United States were to reengage Iran and would require Israel to serve as a subcontractor, as Israel did in the past, I think then that will happen,” he said. He dismissed Iran’s latest threats against Israeli infrastructure as nothing new. “This has always been the Iranian plan,” Aharoni stated. “We know that, but we also have our own plan. And as the Iranians painfully learned, we’re pretty accurate.”

Aharoni praised Trump’s decision to link a proposed U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement to Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords. “I think it’s a wonderful thing that the president is stressing the need to link any kind of progress in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Abraham Accords,” he said. The former diplomat noted such an agreement would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position against Iran and China while drawing the kingdom closer to the United States. “It actually pushes Saudi Arabia into the arms of the pro-American axis,” he added.

He cautioned, however, that expanding civilian nuclear capabilities in the region could carry risks. “The only downside I can see here is that this could trigger a regional nuclear arms race,” Aharoni said, adding that he believes the Trump administration is aware of these concerns.

Addressing reports that Kuwait and Bahrain have directly retaliated against Iran, Aharoni stated recent military developments have altered the balance of power in the Middle East. He explained that while Operation Epic Fury had not yet achieved its ultimate objective of toppling Iran’s regime, it had restored deterrence against Tehran. “What happened with the Iranians? They made a terrible mistake miscalculating President Trump, miscalculating the Israel Defense Forces, and the Israeli Air Force,” he said.

As a result, Gulf nations have become more willing to confront Iran. “Saudi Arabia is certainly a third,” Aharoni added. “They feel emboldened and feel that they can actually attack Iran. Iran is not so mighty militarily as we tended to think.” Aharoni concluded that shifting regional dynamics are likely to continue as Middle Eastern nations reassess Iran’s military strength.