The Trump administration pushed a key U.S. ally to carry out strikes on Iran in a bid to “avoid political fallout” before the midterms, according to an explosive report from The Jerusalem Post published on Saturday — a report that two U.S. officials denied within hours of its publication.
Citing a report from the Hebrew-language Israeli newspaper Maariv, The Jerusalem Post details a supposed pressure campaign from the Trump administration to urge Israel into carrying out strikes on Iran “over the past two weeks.”
“Washington wanted Israel to assume the political risks of a military operation ahead of the US midterm elections, rather than US President Donald Trump,” The Jerusalem Post’s report reads, citing Maariv’s report.
“American officials reportedly believed Israel would be interested in striking Iran before its own elections, while a US operation ahead of the midterms could have negative political consequences for Trump.”
Trump’s approval among Americans has plummeted to career lows in large part due to his deeply unpopular war against Iran, which continues to keep fuel prices elevated. On Saturday, the average cost of diesel fuel was $6.28, around 25 cents lower than the all-time high reached late last month. The average cost of regular fuel was $4.37 on Saturday, far above the $3.10 recorded a year ago.
According to The Jerusalem Post, the Trump administration had since “backed down from its demand, at least for now,” citing Maariv’s reporting. Two U.S. officials and an Israeli official denied the report, according to Axios’ Barak Ravid.
Trump has ramped up threats to resume strikes on Iran in recent weeks, including as recently as Friday during a rally in New York, warning that he may opt to “finish it off” if Iran refused to accept a deal.
Two U.S. officials and one Israeli official denied this report and told me the U.S. didn't ask Israel to initiate a strike against Iran before the elections
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) October 10, 2026