Days after United States President Donald Trump claimed he was at the top of Iran’s assassination list, Israeli intelligence warned Washington of a fresh plot allegedly targeting him.
Israel sent a new
intelligence report to the US, which indicated that Iran has been hatching a fresh plan to kill Trump, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.
The recent findings can further escalate the ongoing war between the US and Iran, which has been exchanging fire in the Gulf for the last few days.
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Israel Raises Alarm Over Specific Assassination Plot
According to CNN, US intelligence agencies had been receiving a consistent stream of information in recent weeks about potential threats targeting Trump, but described the Israeli alert as the first to point to a specific alleged assassination plot.
Also Read: ‘I Am Target Number 1’: Trump Says Iran May Be Plotting To Assassinate Him
Some US officials, however, suggested the intelligence shared by Israel may also have been intended to influence Trump’s deliberations over whether to escalate American military action against Iran.
The precise nature of the alleged plot remains unclear. Two sources familiar with the matter said US agencies had neither independently verified the intelligence nor been tracking the specific threat before Israel raised the alarm, according to a report published by CNN.
‘Death to Trump’ Slogans Echo At Khamenei’s Funeral
For years, Iran has vowed to avenge the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, who was assassinated in a US strike ordered by Trump during his first term.
Iran has also pledged to avenge the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with mourners at his funeral chanting “Death to Trump” and carrying banners that read, “We Will Kill Trump.”
‘I’m On Every List’: Trump On His Assassination Bids
Speaking to reporters in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump alluded to threats against his life.
“They want to take out the U.S. leader—me,” he said. “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. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer. That cancer. You know what you do? You’ve got to cut out cancer early. And that’s the way I feel,” he said.
Also Read: Iran’s ‘Hormuz Aggression’: The Incident That Irked Trump And Pushed Ceasefire To The Brink Again
Later, Trump claimed he had recently learned that he topped a new Iranian assassination list, though it remains unclear whether he was referring to the intelligence recently shared by Israel.
Trump, Netanyahu At Odds Over Iran War
The Iran conflict has also exposed growing differences between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the two leaders increasingly at odds over the future course of military action.
While Netanyahu has pushed for sustained strikes against Iran to achieve broader strategic objectives, Trump has signalled a preference for de-escalation, warning that a prolonged conflict could have serious repercussions for the global economy.
Also Read: Netanyahu Office Says ‘Trump Updated Israeli PM On American Moves In Gulf’
The United States brokered a fragile ceasefire with Iran last month in an effort to contain the fighting; however, Trump recently stated that the ceasefire is over.
Despite their differences, Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone on Thursday. According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders agreed to continue “coordination between the countries.” The statement added that Trump also briefed Netanyahu on recent US activities in the Gulf.
