Netanyahu reportedly pressing Trump to attack Iran after US midterms

Summary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly pressing US President Donald Trump to launch another wave of strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections, according to two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter. Reports say Netanyahu pressed for strikes during a call with Trump over the weekend. Reports also say a return to full-scale war with Iran could help Netanyahu form an emergency government after he and his far-right allies lost their parliamentary majority in last week's Israeli elections. PBS reports that the US has since launched new attacks on Iranian targets, days after Netanyahu pressed Trump for more strikes.

Timeline

1. NDTV

   2 Nov 2026, 18:57 UTCSource ↗

   NDTV reports that Netanyahu pressed for strikes during a call with Trump over the weekend.

2. The Hindu

   2 Nov 2026, 20:23 UTCSource ↗

   The Hindu reports, citing officials, that Netanyahu is pressing Trump to attack Iran after the midterms, and that a return to full-scale war could help him form an emergency government after he and his far-right allies lost their parliamentary majority in last week's elections.

3. South China Morning Post

   2 Nov 2026, 22:16 UTCSource ↗

   The South China Morning Post reports, citing two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter, that Netanyahu is pushing for another wave of strikes on Iran after Tuesday's US midterm elections.

4. PBS

   3 Nov 2026, 15:07 UTCSource ↗

   PBS reports that the US has launched new attacks on Iranian targets days after Netanyahu pressed Trump for more strikes, citing the same officials' account that Netanyahu pushed for another wave of strikes after the US elections.