Netanyahu's 'Iranophobia' Strategy: A Desperate Gamble for Political Survival Amidst Government Instability

As the Israeli right-wing coalition government, responsible for actions in Gaza, regional attacks, and domestic civil liberties, appears to be losing its hold on power, caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's increasingly urgent attempts to disrupt the political transition signal a growing desperation to remain in office. One such effort seems to be a push to reignite conflict with Iran. Reports indicate that Netanyahu has instructed the Israeli military to prepare for war, anticipating a potential strike on Iran, despite opposition calls for restraint. These reports emerge after revelations that Netanyahu had been frequently contacting US President Donald Trump to advocate for renewed strikes against Iran. Furthermore, Israeli media have documented repeated clashes between Netanyahu and military chief Eyal Zamir, who has reportedly opposed military actions against Iran, citing the risk of a wider conflict.

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has been tasked with forming a new government, though this outcome is not guaranteed. Netanyahu is reportedly pursuing a national unity government that would include him and his Likud party, or is waiting for Eisenkot's efforts to fail, which could lead to another election. Ahron Bregman, an Israeli political analyst at King's College London, commented, "Netanyahu is desperate. He knows – and you can see it from his behaviour – that it is likely that he is politically done, and only a national unity government could save him." He added, "A little war could compel Eisenkot & Co.," referring to the opposition bloc and its leader, "to form such a government in a time of crisis."

Many in the opposition, including Eisenkot, have accused Netanyahu of attempting to lead the country into a potentially catastrophic war for his own political gain, or of deliberately delaying coalition-building to force another election. While critics view Netanyahu's efforts to escalate tensions with Iran as a cynical ploy to retain power, analysts suggest that even his staunchest opponents might unite behind him if he initiates an attack.

Haggai Ram, a professor at Ben-Gurion University and author of "Iranophobia," noted the paradox: "Everyone knows it would be contrived, but the hysteria over Iran cuts through everything. If Netanyahu succeeds, and manages to start a war with Iran, of course the opposition would fall in behind him, and the public would expect them to. They’d recognise the cynicism for what it was, but this is Iran. This is the great enemy." He further explained, "For the former military members of the opposition, confronting Iran was what they spent their entire lives training for. For the public, after years of being told of the Iranian threat, many already see the war as inevitable."

Israel's long-standing cold war with Iran has been a persistent feature of life for many Israelis. For decades, Israelis have lived under the threat of attacks from Iran's regional allies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, whose threats against Israel have been widely covered in Israeli media. These fears have been amplified by repeated warnings from Israeli leaders, dating back to the 1990s, about Iran's proximity to acquiring nuclear weapons and its potential use against Israel. Tensions escalated significantly following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which led to multiple Israeli military operations across the region. A notable exchange of strikes with Iran in June 2025 was followed by a joint operation with the US in February, which had significant global repercussions, disrupting vital waterways, destabilizing financial markets, and impacting household spending worldwide.

However, a new conflict with Iran could offer Netanyahu a way out of his current political predicament, according to political psychologist Daniel Bar-Tal of Tel Aviv University. Bar-Tal suggests that with public opposition to him and his coalition high, and facing multiple criminal cases, Netanyahu is "fighting for his life." While he doubted that Trump would permit Netanyahu to derail US negotiations with Iran, Bar-Tal believed that Israelis would likely "support such a war, and this is a good card for him to play [to create the] turmoil" needed to escape his difficult situation.

Ram observes that Israel currently exists in a state of perpetual anticipation. "People know that any case for war would be manufactured," he stated. "They’re not stupid and they see it for what it is. However, many people – including some of my friends and students – regard it as inevitable. They’re just waiting, and if and when it happens, despite everything they know, they will still report for duty and do what they’re ordered."