Netanyahu Calls Toppling Iran's Government Israel's "Primary Objective"; Analysts Tell Al Jazeera No Clear Strategy Exists

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said overthrowing Iran's government remains Israel's "primary objective", Al Jazeera reported on Thursday, 22 October 2026 (30 Mehr 1405); he faces declining support in polls ahead of national elections next week. The remarks followed his conversations with Donald Trump on Sunday and a visit to Israel by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but Al Jazeera writes that there is no sign Washington has agreed to join another offensive against Iran.

Analysts told Al Jazeera that Israel has the firepower to do serious damage to Iran but no clear strategy for turning military gains into the overthrow of its government; air strikes alone are unlikely to achieve it, and a ground invasion would demand a far larger commitment. They said Iran still holds sizeable missile stocks. Al Jazeera also cites a Financial Times report this week that an Israeli proposal for renewed strikes failed to win Trump's approval, which it says points to disagreement over immediate action rather than ruling out future attacks.