Netanyahu claims indications of attack plot by ‘enemies’ ahead of election; Lapid, briefed, derides him

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Tuesday that there are concerns that “enemies” of Israel may attempt to attack it ahead of the October 27 election, prompting demands from opposition leaders to provide them with details on the ostensible threat to ensure it was not an attempt by Netanyahu to undermine the election.

“We have indications that, ahead of the elections, our enemies will try to attack us,” Netanyahu said in a video filmed during a visit to the Tel Nof air base.

“So from here, from the Air Force base, from the long arm of Israel, I am sending you a message: Don’t mess with us — not now, and not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere and at any time,” he said in Hebrew. He did not elaborate on the nature of the purported threat or give any details on the “indications” of a pre-election attack.

The prime minister met Opposition Leader Yair Lapid late on Tuesday to brief him about the ostensible danger, after which Lapid said there was no reason to panic the public, denounced Netanyahu for issuing what he called an election video, and said the prime minister should draft “the 15,000 Haredim the IDF needs” if he is so worried about security.

According to security sources cited by Kan news, Haaretz and Army Radio, the army has seen no specific threat to indicate that any of Israel’s enemies are planning to attack ahead of the election, and has not raised its alert level or mobilized additional troops in any sectors.

Immediately after the prime minister posted the video, top election contender Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party demanded that Netanyahu update Opposition Leader Yair Lapid on any new security threats.

“If Netanyahu’s statements regarding the security threats are correct, this requires an immediate update to Opposition Leader Yair Lapid,” the party said on X, adding that such a meeting is needed “to ensure that it is indeed a genuine threat and not a political maneuver intended to harm the election.”

Lapid quickly issued a statement of his own, saying he had requested an emergency security update from Netanyahu.

“I request to understand if the threats are real, and if so, how the prime minister is preparing to ensure the election will take place without disruptions,” Lapid wrote on X.

אל תתעסקו איתנו pic.twitter.com/Wbt6xMF9s8

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 29, 2026

Joining in, Democrats party chairman Yair Golan said that “the people of Israel cannot rely on Netanyahu when he claims that his motives are not political.”

“If there are security threats, he should reveal them to the opposition leader and give an account to the public,” Golan posted on X. “Netanyahu knows that he is about to lose. He is afraid. It is forbidden to let him use Israel’s security to disrupt the elections.”

After briefing, Lapid slams Netanyahu

After Lapid made his demand, the Prime Minister’s Office initially said that Netanyahu’s military secretary would provide Lapid with the security update, and said that the premier “regularly holds security briefing meetings with Opposition Leader Lapid, and the most recent one between them took place two weeks ago on September 14.”

Not satisfied, Lapid said on X: “The moment the prime minister of a democratic country publicly states that there is a threat that could disrupt the election, all involved parties must receive a full update if there is a problem and what steps are being taken to ensure the process proceeds in full.

“Therefore, I demand that Netanyahu promptly hold a four-way discussion involving him and me, together with the Shin Bet head and the Central Elections Committee chairman,” Lapid said, “to ensure everyone is updated and coordinated ahead of the election.”

After the back-and-forth, the Prime Minister’s Office said that Netanyahu and Lapid would hold a meeting at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night, to provide him with the security update.

Immediately following the briefing, Lapid said, “There’s no reason to put the public in a panic.”

“Security threats are something that must be handled professionally and responsibly. Israel’s security and IDF bases are not the setting for election videos,” Lapid went on, alluding to the Tel Nof base where Netanyahu filmed his video.

Further denouncing Netanyahu, Lapid said that IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir “has raised 10 red flags about the shortage of combat soldiers and the erosion in the IDF. If Netanyahu is so worried about the security situation, he should draft the 15,000 ultra-Orthodox men that the IDF needs.”

“In any case, the elections will be held on time, and no one has an excuse to disrupt them,” he continued.

Netanyahu’s office, meanwhile, said that during the briefing, “warnings of possible attacks on various fronts in the run-up to the elections were presented in detail,” without elaborating further.

Netanyahu’s military secretary Maj. Gen. Guy Markizeno and the Military Secretariat’s intelligence officer also took part in the meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office added.

In a separate statement, Netanyahu’s Likud party hit out at Lapid, saying he left the meeting at 11:39 p.m and “just two minutes later, at record speed, he published a lengthy statement consisting entirely of a political attack on the prime minister.”

“Either he writes at the speed of light, or the statement was prepared in advance, regardless of the briefing that was presented to him,” the party charged.

Also denouncing Netanyahu over his warning was B’Yachad party leader Naftali Bennett, who charged that the prime minister was overseeing “mass draft evasion and the collapse of the IDF.”

“Netanyahu warns of security dangers, but he himself leads the worst danger of all — mass draft evasion and the collapse of the IDF,” the former prime minister told reporters during a press conference at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, referring to the current government’s attempts to legislate draft exemptions for Haredi yeshiva students.

Bennett said nobody can deny that the “IDF is facing collapse.”

“Everyone who was part of the failure must end their job immediately,” Bennett also said, regarding those who were in leadership positions in the lead-up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

Speaking during an event at Hostages Square, the mother of freed captive Matan Zangauker said that Netanyahu was engaged in a “despicable influence campaign meant to acquit him of responsibility for the greatest failure since the founding of the country.”

“The entire world called to warn him but he ignored [the warnings],” Zangauker said.

According to Hebrew media reports, Netanyahu also planned to convene his security cabinet on Tuesday evening for what was described as a “routine” meeting to brief his top ministers and aides about the ostensible threat of attack. According to Kan, the cabinet meeting was to be held in an “unusual” location, sparking questions from officials.

Recent polling indicates a deadlock between the pro- and anti-Netanyahu blocs, with a recent Times of Israel survey projecting that the blocs would be tied at 53 seats each if elections were held today, with two Arab parties holding the balance.