Show Notes
This Israeli election is the most strategically consequential in the country’s history, with record turnout as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns voters to pick him or die.
On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to former Israeli defence intelligence analyst and INSS fellow Danny Citrinowicz about why Netanyahu is reported to have pushed Donald Trump to restart the Iran war early so he could delay the election. When the US said no to avoid pushing up oil prices any further, leaks suggest the Israeli leader tried to find another way to provoke Tehran, only to be stopped by the IDF chief of staff.
They discuss the domestic and regional stakes for the country’s first wartime vote since Oct 7, and why the chances of renewed strikes against Iran are highly likely whether Bibi wins or loses.
Plus, two British men are charged over a suspected Iranian intelligence plot targeting RAF Fairford, a vessel catches fire off the coast of Iraq, and Iran warns it will target South Korean shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Highlights Netanyahu ‘pushed Trump for Iran strikes’ to delay first wartime Israeli election ‘Elect me or die’: Netanyahu’s Israel election threat as Iran war looms large
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Danny Citrinowicz, senior fellow at Institute for National Security Studies @citrinowicz
WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk
CONTENT REFERENCED: Two men charged over suspected RAF Fairford terror plot https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/27/two-men-charged-over-raf-fairford-terror-plot/ Victory or prison: Bibi’s last stand https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/27/netanyahu-israeli-election-eisenkot-likud-iran/ Netanyahu ‘pushed for strike on Iran before Israeli election’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/27/netanyahu-pushed-for-iran-strike-before-israel-election/
Winner Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey
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More from Iran: The Latest
Donald Trump has threatened to restart the war with Iran with “another little Operation Epic Fury”, even as US intelligence exposes advanced Iranian plots targeting American personnel across the Middle East. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant look at why the US and Israel are delaying strikes until after the midterm and parliamentary elections. Sascha Bruchmann, Research Fellow at the IISS in Bahrain, breaks down why the region is changing forever and the Gulf’s military posture as leaders from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey visit Iran for an emergency summit. Plus, former President Barack Obama weighs in on the Iran war, the Tehran-backed Houthi forces launch ballistic missiles at Riyadh’s main airport, why war resilience is about more than stockpiling.
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