Israel Warns US of ‘Specific’ Iranian Assassination Plot Against Trump

US President Donald Trump

Israel Warns US of ‘Specific’ Iranian Assassination Plot Against Trump

Israeli intelligence authorities have reportedly alerted the United States to a fresh and specific Iranian plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Thursday that Israel provided new intelligence revealing that Iran had recently developed a detailed plan to kill the American president. The warning, delivered earlier this week, was described by sources as more concrete than previous threat assessments, marking a significant escalation in intelligence-sharing between the two allies amid growing regional instability.

While the exact details of the alleged plot remain classified, officials familiar with the briefing confirmed that the Israeli intelligence pointed to a coordinated operation aimed at the US leader. According to CNN, US authorities had been tracking a “steady drumbeat” of general threats against Trump in recent weeks, but the Israeli warning was considered new and operationally specific. However, US intelligence agencies have not yet independently verified the plot, and officials admitted they were not actively tracking this particular scheme before receiving the Israeli alert, leaving some room for caution within Washington’s national security apparatus.

President Trump addressed the threats publicly during a visit to Ankara, Turkey, following the NATO summit on Wednesday. He told reporters: “They want to take out the US leader – me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists. So far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long. These are evil, sick people.” He added that Iran had recently updated a ranking list of assassination targets, placing him at the top – though it remains unclear whether he was directly referring to the Israeli intelligence report or to separate threat assessments circulating within US security circles.

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The reported plot comes amid years of open threats from Iranian authorities vowing retaliation for the 2020 US drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani – a top commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – during Trump’s first term. Although Iranian officials have publicly pledged revenge on multiple occasions, the latest intelligence suggests a new and active operational phase, rather than a continuation of rhetorical threats. This shift has heightened concerns among US counter-terrorism officials, who now view the Iranian threat as more immediate and actionable than previously assessed.

The intelligence warning surfaces against a backdrop of renewed military confrontation between Washington and Tehran. The US resumed large-scale airstrikes on Iranian positions on 8 July, accusing Tehran of violating the terms of a ceasefire agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump declared the ceasefire agreement “over” on Wednesday, though diplomatic backchannels reportedly remain open. Meanwhile, the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February, saw mass gatherings where mourners chanted anti-Trump slogans and displayed banners reading “We Will Kill Trump,” underscoring the depth of anti-American sentiment within the Iranian establishment.

Despite the seriousness of the Israeli warning, some US officials have expressed caution. According to insiders, there is a degree of scepticism within the American intelligence community about the timing and intent of the Israeli report. Some analysts suggest that Israel may be seeking to influence President Trump’s decision-making as he weighs whether to intensify military action against Iran. The intelligence, they argue, could serve as a strategic lever to push the US toward a harder line, rather than representing an immediate and verifiable threat. This scepticism reflects broader tensions in US-Israeli intelligence relations, where shared information is sometimes viewed through the lens of各自 national interests.

As of now, US security agencies have increased protective measures around the president, though specifics remain undisclosed for operational security reasons. Diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes, even as military strikes resume, suggesting that both Washington and Tehran are hedging their bets. Iran has not formally responded to the Israeli intelligence claims, and its UN mission declined to comment when approached by reporters. The situation remains fluid, and the coming days are likely to bring further developments as Washington and Tehran navigate one of the most volatile chapters in their long-standing conflict, with global attention fixed on whether the alleged plot will materialise or remain another layer in the ongoing shadow war between the two nations.