Report says Israeli warning came as Washington weighed military options, though some US officials questioned whether the intelligence was intended to influence President Donald Trump’s decision-making.
Israel has recently shared intelligence with the United States alleging that Iran had devised a new plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump, adding fresh strain to already fragile relations between Washington and Tehran, according to a CNN report citing sources familiar with the matter.
The report said one of the sources indicated the warning was conveyed earlier this week, while another said US intelligence agencies had been tracking a steady flow of information in recent weeks suggesting possible threats against Trump. However, the Israeli intelligence reportedly referred to a specific alleged assassination plot.
According to CNN, US authorities had not independently verified the Israeli intelligence and were not tracking the specific plot before receiving the warning. Details of the alleged plan also remain unclear.
The report said some American officials believe the Israeli warning could have been aimed at influencing Trump’s decision on whether to intensify military action against Iran at a time when a ceasefire between the two countries is showing signs of strain. The intelligence is reportedly being viewed by some officials as part of a broader Israeli effort to shape US policy towards Iran.
The White House did not directly comment on the reported intelligence but referred to Trump’s recent remarks about alleged Iranian threats against him.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Trump claimed that Iran wanted to kill him and said he had learned he was at the top of Tehran’s assassination target list. “They want to take out the US leader — me,” he said, adding that he had been “lucky so far” but describing Iran’s leaders as “evil” and insisting they must be stopped.
It remains unclear whether Trump’s comments referred to the same intelligence reportedly shared by Israel.
Iran has repeatedly threatened retaliation against Trump over the 2020 US drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force. During the recent funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, crowds were seen chanting slogans calling for Trump’s death.
CNN reported that US intelligence agencies continue to monitor several individuals and groups that have discussed possible attacks against current and former American officials, although no operational action has been detected so far.
The development comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran despite recent military exchanges. According to CNN, US and Iranian officials are still working behind the scenes to reach a nuclear agreement by mid-August, even after Trump declared earlier this week that the existing Memorandum of Understanding with Iran was effectively “over.”
The report added that while US military preparations for possible strikes were underway, officials ultimately chose to hold back in favour of giving diplomacy another opportunity. At the same time, routine defensive operations continued aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier deployed in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has expressed scepticism over diplomacy with Iran, spoke with Trump by phone on Thursday. According to media reports, the two leaders agreed to continue close coordination on developments related to Iran, with Netanyahu expected to visit Washington in the coming weeks.
