Netanyahu Presses Trump to Strike Iran Right After the U.S. Election
In a call described as tough, the Israeli prime minister asked that the bombing resume right after November 3. In October, Trump blocked a strike Israel had ready. The claim that Netanyahu wants a nuclear bomb comes from Tucker Carlson, with no proof; Trump says he would not use one.
Adapted translation of the Portuguese original. Read the original.
IllustrationThe Phone Call
On Saturday, October 31, Benjamin Netanyahu called Donald Trump to talk about Iran. According to Axios, which spoke to sources in both governments, the Israeli prime minister insisted that the bombing resume right after the American midterm elections, this Tuesday, November 3. The Israeli source described the conversation as “tough”; the American, as “direct”. Trump replied that negotiations with Tehran “are going well” and that he is not in “much of a hurry”, although the United States still needs to “take care of” one or two nuclear sites: “We can do that in ten minutes”. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the president has made no decision and prefers a diplomatic way out.
The Strike That Was Already Ready
It is not the first time this month. According to the Financial Times, the Israeli army was prepared to attack on the weekend of October 10: nuclear facilities, regime buildings and civilian infrastructure, including power plants, in an offensive more intense than February's, when the United States and Israel bombed Iran together. Trump vetoed it. He did not want to reopen the war before the American elections and the Israeli ones, which were held on October 27. One of the newspaper's sources said that resuming strikes after both votes would be “a not unreasonable scenario”.
On October 21, at an officer graduation ceremony, Netanyahu made the goal public. He said Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had “released the safety catch”, that the country is again trying to build a nuclear bomb and that his order to the army, the Mossad and the entire defense establishment is to “topple the regime”. There is no independent confirmation that Iran has resumed building a weapon.
And the Nuclear Bomb?
The claim that Israel wants to use a nuclear bomb comes from Tucker Carlson. The American commentator wrote on X, this Monday, that Netanyahu is pressing Trump “every day” for a nuclear strike on Pickaxe Mountain, an underground complex near Natanz, and that “the only military option is a nuclear strike”. The source cited is “an informed observer”, unnamed. The White House, the Pentagon and the Israeli government did not respond. Abestadão found no other source supporting the claim.
Trump himself addressed this on October 15, on Newsmax: “I wouldn't use nuclear. We don't need to”. He said Pickaxe Mountain could be a target and noted that the “mother of all bombs”, the largest conventional weapon in the American arsenal, “is not nuclear”. Israel has an atomic arsenal it has never officially acknowledged.
On the other side, Iran is also playing with words. On October 31, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran is discussing changing its nuclear doctrine if the war resumes, because the attacks on facilities led the public to ask “why should the previous process continue”. No decision has been made. What is settled, for now, is the hurry on one end of the phone line and the lack of it on the other.
The numbers
| Indicator | Value | Period | Area | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Israeli strike that was vetoed | October 10, 2026 expected weekend | October 2026 | Israel × Iran | Financial Times, anonymous sources Source |
| Date requested by Netanyahu to resume attacks | after November 3, 2026 U.S. midterm elections | call of October 31, 2026 | U.S. × Israel | Axios, anonymous sources Source |
Sources
- Netanyahu pressing Trump to strike Iran immediately after midterms - Axios
Netanyahu pushes for a strike right after the November 3 elections; Saturday call described as 'tough' by an Israeli source and 'direct' by an American source; Trump says negotiations are going well, that he is not in 'much of a hurry' and that the U.S. still needs to 'take care of' one or two nuclear sites; Rubio says Trump has not decided.
Anonymous sources.
- Netanyahu planned attack on Iran earlier this month, but Trump opposed it – report
The Israeli army was ready to strike on the weekend of October 10 nuclear facilities, regime buildings and civilian infrastructure, including power plants; it would have been more intense than February's attacks; Trump decided not to reopen the conflict before the midterms; resuming after both countries' elections would be 'a not unreasonable scenario'.
Anonymous sources; the Pentagon declined to comment.
- Benjamin Netanyahu says IDF, Mossad ordered to overthrow Iranian regime over nukes
At an officer graduation ceremony, Netanyahu said Mojtaba Khamenei had followed his father's path, that Iran is again trying to develop a nuclear bomb and that his order to the army, the Mossad and the defense establishment is to topple the regime.
Political statement; there is no independent confirmation that Iran has resumed building a bomb.
- Trump says US may need to strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain
On Newsmax, on October 15, Trump said he would not use a nuclear weapon, that the 'mother of all bombs' is conventional and that the U.S. may have to strike Pickaxe Mountain, near Natanz.
- Tucker Carlson Warns Netanyahu is Pushing Trump to Nuke Iran
Carlson wrote on X that Netanyahu is pressing Trump for a nuclear strike on Pickaxe Mountain and that the decision would come by November 7; he cites Israeli intelligence reports and 'an informed observer', unidentified.
Claim without independent verification; the White House, the Pentagon and Israel did not respond.
- Irã avalia mudar doutrina nuclear diante de possível retomada da guerra
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the country is discussing changing its nuclear doctrine if the war resumes, with no decision made.
