The U.S. military had carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian targets after Tehran attacked a U.S. base in Jordan, while Saudi Arabia had joined Washington in strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq. A senior U.S. official said the administration was not currently pursuing direct talks with Tehran

In a letter to Haaretz, Likud attorney Ilan Bombach threatened and argued that the campaign constituted prohibited election propaganda. Haaretz said in response that the move was 'an attempt to use election laws to silence a critical media outlet'

To protect its leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran is actively thwarting alternative energy corridors and deepening its foothold in Lebanon and Iraq by mobilizing its militia proxy network