Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered military heads to prepare for a strike on Iran in 2010, according to a Channel 2 television investigation aired in Israel.

The investigation claims that Mr Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak ordered military heads from the Israeli Defence Force and Mossad to get ready for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

However, former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and former Mossad Chief Meir Dagan feared that an unauthorised military strike would inevitably follow and did not carry out the order.

According to the Channel 2 investigation, Mr Dagan said: "You are likely to make an illegal decision to go to war. Only the cabinet is authorised to decide this."

Mr Dagan publicly said that a military strike against Iran would be “a stupid thing” in 2011.

Mr Ashkenazi has also stated his opposition to a strike against Iran.