Jerusalem, 22 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — On Wednesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned at an IDF officers’ graduation ceremony that Israel was tracking Iranian threats, prepared to thwart them, and ready to strike back with full force.
With the October 27 elections less than a week away, former Prime Minister Yair Lapid called Katz’s warning “reckless and hysterical,” accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of failing to eliminate Hamas, topple Iran’s regime, destroy Hezbollah and protect Israel’s international standing. Lapid charged that the government was exploiting national security to avoid electoral defeat.
Katz countered by accusing Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan and other opposition figures of undermining Israeli deterrence. Citing intelligence available to the government, he warned that Israel’s enemies might launch attacks before or during the elections to influence the results. He argued that accusations of political motives weaken deterrence and encourage enemy aggression.