By Nava Freiberg, timesofisrael.com

The aircraft turned around shortly before reaching Iranian territory and returned to Israel, according to the report, which follows an earlier Fox News report on the matter.

Israel informed Washington of the sortie in advance, saying it was a military exercise and a show of force intended to deter Iran, the sources tell Channel 12. However, several sources say they believe some Israeli officials may have hoped Iran would fire on the aircraft, providing Israel with justification to launch an attack.

The report also comes after the Financial Times reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sought to launch strikes against Iran earlier this month, but US President Donald Trump opposed renewed fighting before the US midterm elections.

Channel 12 adds that IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned his American counterpart, Dan Caine, that a war before Israel’s elections next week would likely force the vote to be postponed.

Zamir said yesterday that the military will enable next week’s election to take place “without external interference.”

The report notes an apparent contradiction between warnings from Israeli political and security officials about the risk of miscalculation with Iran and the decision to send dozens of aircraft over 1,000 kilometers toward the Iranian border, knowing that Iranian air defenses would detect them.

Channel 12 adds in a separate report that Israeli security officials fear recent remarks by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz could prompt Iran to consider launching a preemptive strike against Israel.

Claire's Observations:   Various Israeli political entities with military contacts  may well be working at cross purposes right now, and the question which must be legitimately asked is, who, of the primary candidates, might be helped by a postponement in Israeli elections?!?

Here's what Throck, my AI, tells me about this: 

" Gadi Eisenkot is currently leading incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in both individual preference and projected parliamentary seats ahead of the October 27, 2026 election. However, neither candidate can comfortably form a government with their current levels of party and bloc support due to a near-perfect deadlock in the 120-seat Knesset."

If I were someone who could consistently bet correctly , that would be wonderful; I am, however, neither  soothsayer nor prognosticator.   

But we have to ask; if Netanyahu orders strikes against Iran before the Israeli elections; the elections are then postponed; and those strikes are successful, would they potentially enhance his ability to form a government in Israel, because other Israelis would "flock to his banner" so to speak?  

My gut is telling me, that the possibility is strong that this might happen.  

But if these attacks fail to achieve their objectives?  Under those circumstances, Eisenkot might well carry the day, and have the capability to form a government.

Would Iran risk being the aggressor, and attack Israel?!?  I think the chances are less likely, than are the scenarios I have have just outlined, but could be very wrong on this.

Right now, even though Trump said that any attack against Iran would happen after the mid-terms, I do not know how "loose a cannon" Trump might be, if he believed an attack against Iran would enhance Republican's chances in the mid-terms. 

 Again, should those attacks NOT accomplish their objectives, and US mid-terms are actually held, US Republicans should probably get ready for a stampede away from many of their candidates.

I am literally praying for a very quiet weekend, in terms of any military misadventures by anyone. 

I do not want to see one more American kid; one more Iranian kid; or one more Israeli kid either shot and killed, or shot and maimed for life, in this horrific war, which never, ever should have been allowed to happen in the first place!! 

UPDATE:  4 PM, CENTRAL TIME:  We see the following story,  again courtesy of zerohedge.com:  https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/last-24-hours-least-two-more-tankers-attacked-iran-gulf-waters

by Tyler Durden

Update(1540ET): A corrective from Reuters saying that the earlier alert for some diplomatic staff and their families to depart from the Gulf region actually only pertains to Saudi Arabia, amid the Houthi assault:

• Earlier, Reuters reported said the US State Department is preparing to issue an ordered departure of some personnel and family members at US embassies across the Gulf.
• Note, this update says just from Saudi Arabia, not the entire Gulf.

Meanwhile, more has emerged on the fresh Houthi targeting of a Saudi Aramco facility in the kingdom's eastern region.

"A drone targeting a facility at Aramco’s Shaybah oil field in the eastern region was intercepted on Wednesday morning, the state Saudi Press Agency reports, citing an energy ministry source," the report says. However, debris from the attack killed two people and injured two more, per Bloomberg, citing Saudi authorities. Additionally a vehicle was set on fire.

Update(1507ET):There's been earlier waves of diplomatic evacuations from Middle East embassies and consulates, amid what was prior Iranian retaliation on Washington allied-Gulf states, but now there looks to be another wave of urgent evacuations:

US officials says the US State Department is preparing to issue an ordered departure of some personnel and family members at US embassies across the Gulf.

Already these embassies were operating at likely minimal staffing levels. Via Reuters:

• U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT IS SET TO ORDER THE DEPARTURE OF CERTAIN STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM AMERICAN EMBASSIES THROUGHOUT THE GULF - U.S. OFFICIALS
• US PREPS DEPARTURE ORDER OF SOME STAFF FROM GULF EMBASSIES:RTRS
• ARAMCO OIL FIELD IN EASTERN REGION ATTACKED: SPA

Oil spikes on these new headlines which portent new escalation - a possible coming major round 3 or US-Iran direct bombing:"