- Israel shared intelligence on Iran’s alleged Trump assassination plot.
- US intelligence unverified; some view it as Israeli influence attempt.
- Trump noted being Iran’s target amid ongoing US-Iran diplomacy.
Israel has shared fresh intelligence with the United States alleging that Iran recently developed a new plan to assassinate US President Donald Trump, according to media reports.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Israeli officials passed the intelligence to Washington earlier this week. CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter, also reported that Israel warned US officials of a specific alleged plot.
US Yet To Verify Intelligence
The exact nature of the alleged assassination plan has not been disclosed.
According to CNN, US intelligence agencies had neither independently verified the information nor been tracking the purported plot before receiving the Israeli warning.
The report said some US officials believe the intelligence may also be part of a broader Israeli effort to persuade the Trump administration to intensify military action against Iran.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that while US agencies have been monitoring a steady stream of threats against Trump in recent weeks, the latest warning was notable because it referred to a specific alleged plan.
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Trump Says He’s ‘On Every List’
The White House declined to comment directly on the reported intelligence and instead referred media organisations to remarks Trump made while speaking to reporters in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.
“They want to take out the US leader, me,” Trump said during the press briefing. “I’m on every list. I saw this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn’t last very long.”
Trump also said he had recently learned that he topped a new list of Iranian assassination targets. However, it remains unclear whether he was referring to the intelligence reportedly shared by Israel.
The reported intelligence comes as Washington and Tehran continue diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a nuclear agreement by mid-August despite renewed tensions.
CNN reported that US and Iranian officials remain engaged in negotiations even as the United States continues contingency planning for possible military action. Multiple officials told the broadcaster that diplomacy remains the preferred option.
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Trump, Netanyahu Differ On Iran Strategy
The reports also emerge amid reported differences between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the future course of the conflict with Iran.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu has argued for continuing military operations to achieve additional strategic objectives, while Trump has sought to avoid a prolonged conflict due to concerns over its broader economic impact.
The two leaders spoke by phone on Thursday. Netanyahu’s office said they agreed to maintain close coordination and discussed recent US military activity in the Gulf.
US officials have long warned that Iran could attempt to retaliate against Trump over the 2020 US drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, during Trump’s first term.
Iran has repeatedly vowed revenge for Soleimani’s killing.
The latest reports also follow funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during which mourners chanted slogans calling for Trump’s death. According to The Wall Street Journal, a banner reading “We Will Kill Trump” was displayed during the funeral procession.
