Iran War Day 241: IDF Chief Resists Push for Pre-Election Military Op Against Iran, Per Report

The Iran War State of the Union: Senior Saudi, Turkish, and Pakistani Officials Were in Tehran for Talks Monday. Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images According to Israeli media reports, an “unprecedented confrontation” occurred over the weekend between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Zamir resisted carrying out Netanyahu’s directive for unspecified military action against Iran, requesting proof of legal authorization and signed documentation before proceeding. Per Channel 12, Zamir was concerned that “the political echelon could lead Israel into a scenario of miscalculation facing Iran just before the elections.” Netanyahu has denied that such a confrontation occurred. Senior representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey—the three members of the newly-formed Mecca Pact—traveled to Tehran this week. The Saudi defense minister, Turkish intelligence head, and Pakistani army chief are in Iran for unusually high-level discussions with their Iranian counterparts. The talks are believed to be aimed at managing the conflict in Yemen and preventing a renewed escalation of the Iran war. Brent crude was trading at around $116 per barrel Monday morning, a slight pullback from Friday but still near six-month highs. AAA reports that the average price of regular gasoline in the United States is $4.29 per gallon, and the average price of diesel is $6.35 per gallon.