<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on September 29, 2026, warning of an "attack" planned before the national election, prompting questions and accusations from his political rivals.</p>
<p>The video, filmed at Tel Nof Air Force Base, featured Netanyahu addressing Israel’s "enemies," cautioning them against executing an unspecified attack believed to be planned ahead of the Knesset election on October 27. "There are signs that leading up to the elections, our enemies will try to attack us," Netanyahu stated in Hebrew. "I am sending [enemies] a message — don’t mess with us. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, and at any time."</p>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="rtl" lang="iw">אל תתעסקו איתנו <a href="https://t.co/Wbt6xMF9s8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/Wbt6xMF9s8</a></p>— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) <a href="https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2104906661315920101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">September 29, 2026</a></blockquote> </div></figure>
<p>The ambiguity surrounding the alleged impending attacks raised concerns among Netanyahu’s political opponents, who expressed skepticism regarding the claim. The Yashar Party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, called for immediate briefings for the leader of the opposition, Yair Lapid, questioning whether the threat was genuine or a "political maneuver" during the contentious campaign.</p>
<p>"If Netanyahu’s statements regarding the security threats are correct, this requires an immediate update from the chairman of the opposition, Yair Lapid," the party stated. "This, in order to ensure that it is indeed a genuine threat and not a political maneuver intended to harm the election system." The party also cautioned Netanyahu against using the military base for campaign purposes, emphasizing the separation of national security and electoral politics.</p>
<p>Lapid responded on social media, supporting the demand for a security update and formally requesting a briefing on the alleged attack. "I request to understand if the threats are real, and if so, how the prime minister is preparing this time to ensure the election will take place without disruptions," he wrote.</p>
<p>Netanyahu’s office indicated that the prime minister’s military secretary would provide Lapid with a security update, consistent with regular updates given to the opposition leader. Israeli media later reported that Netanyahu was arranging a special security meeting with Lapid and other senior officials later that evening.</p>
<p>Lapid expressed concern that the alleged threats could disrupt the election timeline and called for the involvement of the head of the elections committee and Israeli intelligence in discussions. "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," he stated in a follow-up statement. Lapid also criticized Netanyahu, referencing the October 7, 2023 attacks, saying, "When there’s an election, suddenly he takes the warnings seriously."</p>
<p>The upcoming Knesset election is widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has been in power for nearly two decades with only brief interruptions. He faces accusations of failing to protect the Israeli public from the attacks on October 7, 2023, with opponents highlighting claims that Emirati intelligence warned the Israeli government in advance.</p>