Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks by phone Thursday on Iran, Israel’s Channel 12 reported, as Israeli officials warned that military action against Tehran remains on the table.
The broadcaster quoted Israeli officials as calling an attack a “realistic scenario” should Tehran fail to change course. Those officials said any new campaign would likely be expansive, targeting Iran’s nuclear program, missile arsenal, energy sector, and other infrastructure.
Still, sources in both countries told the channel that nothing in recent days demands an immediate response.
Western intelligence services have observed what they view as alarming shifts in Iran’s military posture, Channel 12 reported. Some Israeli officials worry that Iran’s leaders, squeezed by sanctions and a struggling economy, might decide to strike first. Iran has test-fired missiles from multiple locations this week, according to the broadcaster.
In a Channel 14 interview Thursday, Netanyahu cautioned Tehran against attacking. “If Iran attacks us, it will make the mistake of its life,” he said.
The call came a day after Netanyahu publicly ruled out a preemptive strike ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 election. “It is not convenient for us, it’s no good,” he told Army Radio on Wednesday. He added that Israel would hit back hard if targeted.
Those comments came after Channel 12 and Axios reported that Netanyahu and President Donald Trump had talked about restarting attacks before Israelis and Americans go to the polls.
The U.S. midterm elections are Nov. 3. Netanyahu’s office denied he was pushing for pre-election military action, which his opponents have suggested would be politically motivated.
Trump has said a decision on Iran is coming “very soon.” According to CNN, updated U.S. strike plans include the GBU-43, the most powerful conventional bomb in the American arsenal, for use against Iranian energy and nuclear facilities.
Israeli and U.S. forces began bombing Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Iranian missile fire at Israel and neighboring Gulf states.
There has been no direct Israel-Iran fighting since June. Israel’s top general, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, warned this week that the risk of a wider conflict is rising and said the military is bolstering its forces.
In past rounds, both governments publicly played down the prospect of strikes shortly before launching them.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.