Katz threatens Iran if it attacks Israel ahead of October 27 election

Key Facts

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened that Iran "will burn" if it attacks Israel, speaking at an officer graduation ceremony on October 21, 2026, according to The Times of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the ceremony where the remarks were made, ahead of the Israeli election. Katz said Israel had detected attempts by its adversaries, led by Iran and its proxies, to carry out attacks aimed at influencing the election outcome, according to Israel National News. He accused them of seeking to "carry out attacks that influence the election results in Israel". He described the Iranian regime as being at its weakest point, saying that weakness could drive it to take extreme steps against Israel. The Times of Israel quoted him as saying that "this weakness could drive it to take the most extreme measures".

At the same ceremony, Netanyahu said toppling the Iranian regime was the way to eliminate the threat he described, according to Israel National News. He added: "There is only one way to remove this threat, and that is to topple the regime in Iran." Katz's warning also extended to Hezbollah, as he threatened to seize additional territory in southern Lebanon if the group joined an Iranian attack on Israel, according to The Times of Israel. He named the Nabatieh and Litani areas among the territories covered by his threat, linking it to the group's participation in an attack. Meanwhile, an Iranian official who requested anonymity told Reuters that "Iran is preparing for renewed Israeli and American attacks, not for an agreement with America to end the war". Against the backdrop of a possible resumption of fighting, Investing.com cited the Financial Times as reporting that a proposed Israeli operation against Iran had been postponed after U.S. President Donald Trump opposed resuming hostilities.

In energy markets, Brent crude rose 3.2% during Thursday trading, according to The Associated Press. The international oil benchmark reached $112.27 a barrel. Trading took place amid regional tensions and mutual threats of renewed attacks. The agency had reported on Wednesday that Brent had reached about $110 a barrel. It compared that with a price of $70 a barrel in February, highlighting the rise in crude over that period.

Katz's remarks coincide with the final stage of Netanyahu's election campaign, during which Trump announced his support for his re-election, according to The Associated Press. The Israeli election is scheduled for October 27, placing the military threats and accusations of interference in the outcome just ahead of the vote. Investing.com reported that Israeli military leave had been cancelled until the parliamentary election. On the U.S. side, The Associated Press said Trump had left open the possibility of resuming the bombing of Iran after the U.S. election on November 3. The U.S. president provided no details on that possibility.