Netanyahu said in an interview with Army Radio that a preemptive strike on Iran before the elections would be inconvenient timing for Israel: “I don’t think the timing is convenient for us.” An Israeli security official assessed on Wednesday that Israel is unlikely to launch a preemptive strike against Iran before the elections, according to Ynetnews.

Israeli authorities have heightened their alert against Iranian interference in the vote. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned senior US administration and military officials that an escalation with Iran could lead to the postponement of Israel’s elections, scheduled for October 27, according to Ynetnews.