Could October 7 have been prevented? IDF general's urgent warning to military chief - report

The head of the research division of the Intelligence Branch of the IDF, Brigadier-General Amit Sa'ar, revealed in an interview with KAN News on Tuesday that he wrote an emergency warning letter about a potential attack on Israel that was meant to be sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the national security cabinet after Simchat Torah.

According to his report, Sa'ar warned in his letter that Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah recognized an opportunity to attack Israel, according to information gathered by the Intelligence Division.

The warning, which was written just before October 7, was reportedly able to reach the head of the IDF Intelligence Branch, and IDF Chief of staff Herzi Halevi.

Additionally, Sa'ar claims that he wrote in the letter that this opportunity was created due to internal conflict in Israel, as well as the level of readiness of the IDF at the time.

The head of the research division also added in his letter that senior Iranian officials also pressured Hamas, stating that the moment to attack Israel had arrived.

The letter did not reach the Prime Minister and other officials before October 7

After reading the letter, the Head of the Intelligence Branch and the Chief of Staff gave Saar permission to send the letter to the Prime Minister; however, the October 7 massacre occured, and the letter was never sent.

With that, it was also reported that throughout 2023, four separate letters were sent from the Intelligence Branch, with the last one being sent in July.