Netanyahu touts Trump’s endorsement and hints at a renewed Iran war on the eve of the vote

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted President Trump’s endorsement on the eve of Tuesday’s election and suggested that the two may restart the war on Iran¹. On Monday he shared an AI-generated video of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, whose father, Ali Khamenei, was killed¹.

Netanyahu, fighting for political survival, has pleaded with Trump in recent days to show more public support for his campaign, according to a US source with knowledge of the matter and an Israeli source who was briefed on it². The US source said the White House sees the aggressive lobbying as a sign of desperation and an indication that Netanyahu thinks he is trailing².

His Likud party disputes that account. Spokesperson Neta Molcho denied that the prime minister asked Trump to support his campaign in recent days or before his endorsement statement². The White House did not respond to a request for comment².

Why it matters to investors

The election is close. Israel’s leading parties are tied ahead of the vote, and coalition bargaining could determine who takes power⁴. Analysts lay out scenarios ranging from a Netanyahu victory to another election⁵.

The outcome bears directly on the war with Iran. Netanyahu’s suggestion that the war could be restarted¹ comes as Israel’s military leadership has reportedly pushed back on him: the head of the Israel Defense Forces was said to be resisting an order from the prime minister in what was described as an unprecedented confrontation³.

For markets, the question is whether the next government keeps open the option of renewed war with Iran that Netanyahu has raised¹. The election also arrives amid a broader diplomatic push across the region involving Iran⁵. Whoever forms the next government will inherit that decision⁴.

What to watch

Polls open on Tuesday. With the leading parties level, coalition bargaining could decide who governs⁴, and the scenarios include a further vote⁵.

Beyond the count, investors will watch how far Washington goes in backing Netanyahu, given the reported tension over his requests for public support², and whether his talk of resuming the Iran war¹ survives the coalition talks that follow⁴.

The reported dispute between Netanyahu and the army chief³ is another marker of how readily any new military order could be carried out. Netanyahu’s legacy will loom over the result whoever forms the next government⁴.