‘Don’t test us': Netanyahu warns Iran against attempts to disrupt Israel’s October 27 elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Iran and its regional allies against any attempt to disrupt their parliamentary elections on October 27. The country’s military is prepared to respond to possible attacks, Netanyahu said on Sunday.Benjamin Netanyahu (C) speaks at Ben Yehuda Market during a campaign visit in Jerusalem . (AFP)He claimed Israeli intelligence detected signs that Iran and its allies could attempt attacks to interfere with the vote. “We have intelligence signs that our enemies, Iran and its proxies, could challenge us with attacks in order to disrupt the elections,” he said in a video message. “Don't test us. You will suffer disproportionate blows,” Netanyahu added, saying Israel’s military was prepared for both defensive and offensive operations.The warning comes as Netanyahu makes national security a central issue in his election campaign. He has highlighted the war on Iran, launched by Israel and the US in February, and presented himself as the leader capable of keeping the bombardment going.ALSO READ | Iran dismisses Trump warning of fresh attacks: ‘They will not try again if there's any rationality'Netanyahu focuses on security ahead of pollsIsrael will vote on October 27 to elect all 120 members of the Knesset, its parliament. The vote could end Netanyahu’s long tenure as prime minister. He has served longer than any other Israeli leader and has placed considerable emphasis on his security record during the campaign.On Sunday, Netanyahu also shared an AI-generated image showing a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv. The post included text attributed to a right-wing political commentator describing Iran as an existential threat to Israel.Earlier in the week, Netanyahu said he instructed Israel’s security forces to work towards toppling Iran’s clerical government. A day before that announcement, he shared a video of himself standing in front of a fighter jet while speaking to US President Donald Trump by phone. In the video, the two leaders said they would “finish the job” together.ALSO READ | Iran's threat to Gulf undersea cables and the network carrying nearly all international web trafficIran says its policies will not changeEarlier, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that fresh US-Israeli attacks would not change Tehran’s policies. His remarks came as Trump raised the possibility of strikes while also leaving open the prospect of a diplomatic agreement.“Today, talk of war is resurfacing again, but…Whether war happens or not, our policies remain in place,” he said, as per AP. “If there is any rationality, they will not try military action against Iran again,” he added, arguing that further attacks would not produce a different outcome.“The end of this war must be across all fronts,” he said. Araghchi also warned that the Strait of Hormuz would not return to the way it was before the war. The narrow waterway is a critical route for global oil and gas shipments.ALSO READ | How Israel elects its prime minister without voters choosing a candidateTrump raises possibility of fresh strikesTrump on Saturday claimed that the US could launch fresh attacks against Iran but also suggested that a deal remained possible. “Maybe tomorrow... There's a possibility I will. There's also a possibility we'll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement,” he said.The US President claimed that Tehran wanted an agreement but questioned whether it would honour its commitments. He also praised the US military campaign and said American forces had inflicted extensive damage on Iran’s military capabilities.The United States and Israel bombed Iran on February 28 and assassinated their Supreme Leader. Tehran retaliated with attacks on US bases in the Gulf and closing down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.A ceasefire between Iran and the US took effect on April 8, halting the sustained bombardment but disagreements over maritime access and the blockade have continued. A memo agreed upon by the two sides in June later unravelled, with both accusing the other of violating its terms.