Two sources told CNN that Israel shared intelligence with Washington indicating Iran recently formulated a plan to assassinate former President Donald Trump. The US had already identified intelligence flows suggesting possible assassination plots, but the Israeli warning was described as new and specific. One source suggested the Israeli report may have been an attempt to push Trump into confrontation.
A CNN report at 06:51 Jerusalem, citing two unnamed sources, states that Israel shared specific intelligence with Washington indicating Iran recently formulated a plan to assassinate former President Donald Trump. One source suggested the Israeli warning may have been an attempt to push Trump into confrontation. This is the latest development in a story that began overnight.
The initial reports emerged at 00:42 Jerusalem, when multiple outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, reported that Israeli intelligence had uncovered an Iranian plot against Trump. The Wall Street Journal published a detailed article at 00:44 citing sources. US officials quickly confirmed the intelligence sharing, but within the same hour clarified that the information was a general discussion among Iranian actors, not a premeditated plan. The Zioneer reported at 06:25 Jerusalem that Israeli intelligence had discovered the plot, based on initial reports. The CNN report at 06:51 now provides specific sourcing, though the characterization of the intelligence remains in dispute between the initial reports and the US officials' clarification.
The intelligence-sharing disclosure adds a new dimension to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran dynamic. As The Zioneer reported on Thursday, Israel was reportedly seeking Trump's green light for a strike on Iran, reflecting tension over Iran's nuclear program and regional aggression. The US has been preparing for possible strikes, with Trump receiving an Iran intelligence briefing on July 9, and the US reportedly preparing another wave of strikes targeting Iranian power plants.
What remains unclear is whether the US has taken any additional protective measures for Trump or whether the intelligence has altered the US posture toward Iran. The CNN report does not specify when the intelligence was shared or whether the alleged plot is still active. The discrepancy between the initial reports of a specific plot and the US officials' description of a general discussion has not been resolved.
7 developments
- DevelopingZioneer analysis argues Iran maneuvered Trump into restraining Israel
- StrongThe Zioneer analysis warns against Trump-Erdoğan deal, says Israel must not trust world leaders
- DevelopingReport: Trump's concessions to Iran alarm Israeli officials
- DevelopingUS intelligence warns of potential surprise Iranian attack on Israel
Source and signal
- Internal intake