Netanyahu and Katz deny reported Iran directive dispute

Reports of a dispute between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s military chief over an unspecified Iran-related directive drew denials from Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday, one day before Israel’s parliamentary election. The allegation, based on unnamed sources, has not been independently verified, and the directive’s content has not been disclosed. The report said Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir sought further discussion and signed legal authorization before carrying out an instruction that military officials feared could trigger a confrontation with Iran. It did not identify the proposed action. One account said the report was subject to military censorship, and it remains unclear whether the directive was connected to Netanyahu’s separate statement that he had instructed the military and Mossad to topple Iran’s regime. Netanyahu rejected the account in a television interview, calling it “nonsense” and saying there was no fight with Zamir. His office also denied the report. Katz said Israel had no intention of initiating an attack on Iran before the election, described reports of a political-military rift as false, and said Israel would respond...