Israel PM says 'indications' enemies will try to attack ahead of elections
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's warning prompted opposition leader Yair Lapid to seek an urgent security briefing.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York City, US, Sep 24, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday (Sep 29) said there were "indications" that Israel's enemies could try to attack ahead of elections scheduled for the end of October, sparking opposition concern.
The warning came shortly before Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to target Hamas leaders based outside the Gaza Strip.
In recent weeks, Netanyahu and Katz have issued repeated warnings to Iran, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and even the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, promising retaliation in case of an attack.
"We have indications that ahead of the elections our enemies will try to attack us. So ... I am sending you a message: Don't mess with us, not now and not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, anytime," Netanyahu said at an air force base in a video published by his office.
Following the warning, opposition leader Yair Lapid said he had contacted Netanyahu's office requesting an "urgent security update".
"I am seeking to understand whether the threats are real, and if so, how the Prime Minister is preparing this time to ensure that the elections will take place without disruptions," Lapid wrote on X.
In response, Netanyahu's office said that the premier "instructed his military secretary to update the opposition leader today on the latest developments".
Separately, Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a video statement threatening leaders of Hamas based outside Gaza, after the military said it had killed a commander in the north of the territory overnight.
"Hamas leaders abroad are also in the crosshairs. None of these despicable murderers, who played a central role in the October 7 massacre, should die peacefully in their beds," Katz said, referring to the 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza.
"Once, they were spared because of a mishap - but the next time will come, and they too will be sent to the depths of hell," he added, in an apparent reference to an Israeli airstrike against a gathering of top Hamas leaders in Qatar in September 2025.
The strike in Doha killed a Qatari security officer and five Hamas members, but none of the group's top officials.
Israelis will head to the polls on Oct 27, with Netanyahu locked in a tight race for reelection.
