Nuclear mushroom over Tel Aviv, Trump's message - and what the IDF really fears

Tensions between Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF top brass are escalating on the eve of the elections: reports based on the Prime Minister's entourage claim he intends to demand the next government fire Zamir. The IDF confirms tensions with the political echelon, amid opposition to operating the Air Force in overt flights. Netanyahu and Katz vehemently deny.

Tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF top brass escalated this evening. According to a series of reports based on statements from the Prime Minister's entourage, if he forms the next government, he intends to demand it fire Chief of Staff Zamir. Military sources in the IDF also confirm tensions between the political echelon and the Chief of Staff and a number of senior IDF officials. The dispute concerns several issues. In recent days, the IDF believed it was not appropriate to operate the Air Force in overt flights in certain areas of the Middle East. The matter was raised before the political echelon, with the IDF presenting the risk that the flights could lead to a security deterioration at this time — which would prevent or disrupt the elections scheduled for tomorrow. According to a political source, Chief of Staff Zamir and other senior officials told the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister that the risk of escalating the region into an all-out war outweighs the benefits of such a flyover. A military source said earlier today: "Iran has been scored on twice. And they are now cautious. They tell themselves we've been hit twice, now we'll do something else. And they say this even if the other side has no intention to attack. The whole situation right now is crazy. You see the publications of the image of nuclear mushrooms over Tel Aviv and immediately US President Donald Trump tweets: 'Today we will not attack Iran.' So you understand that every misplaced word thrown into the air can change a regional reality." Netanyahu's office responded to the reports: "Absolute fake news from beginning to end," and Netanyahu himself said: "I do not intend to fire the Chief of Staff, and we will continue to work together for Israel's security." Defense Minister Israel Katz said: "The reports published this evening about an intention to fire Chief of Staff Zamir are an invention and an absolute lie, just like other lies in the security field that have been spread in the last 24 hours to harm the Likud ahead of the elections. I recommended the appointment of Zamir as Chief of Staff, we work together for the security of the State of Israel — with unprecedented historic achievements, and that is how I intend to continue in the future."