Israel warns US of alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Donald Trump: Report

Israel has shared fresh intelligence with the United States claiming that Iran is again plotting to assassinate US President Donald Trump, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal published on Friday (July 10).

If verified, the intelligence would come at a time when tensions between Washington and Tehran have already escalated following the latest exchange of military strikes.

Intel aims to influence Trump?

The warning from Israel was reportedly conveyed to US officials earlier this week, CNN reported. American intelligence agencies had already been monitoring a steady flow of intelligence in recent weeks pointing to possible assassination plots targeting Trump. However, the Israeli assessment stood out because it referred to a specific alleged plan.

Also read | Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei laid to rest as US-Iran tensions escalate

Some US officials believe the Israeli intelligence could also be aimed at shaping Trump's thinking as he weighs whether to expand US military involvement against Iran, the report said.

Trump himself spoke about threats to his life while addressing reporters in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.

“They want to take out the US 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.”

Strain in Trump-Netanyahu ties

Ties between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly come under strain in recent weeks as the two leaders have differed over how the conflict with Iran should proceed.

Netanyahu has argued in favour of continuing military operations against Iran in pursuit of additional strategic objectives. Trump, on the other hand, has been looking for a way to wind down the conflict, warning that a prolonged war could destabilise the global economy. The United States brokered a fragile ceasefire with Iran last month.

According to the Israeli prime minister's office, Trump and Netanyahu spoke over the phone on Thursday and agreed to maintain continued “coordination between the countries.” The statement also said Trump briefed Netanyahu on recent US operations in the Gulf.

At the funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, mourners shouted slogans calling for Trump's death and held up a banner that read, “We Will Kill Trump.”

Earlier reporting by The Wall Street Journal said Trump and Netanyahu remained in close contact during the initial phase of the Iran war, with the Israeli prime minister regularly sharing intelligence and discussing military targets during late-night phone conversations.

Explosions rock southern Iran

Several explosions were reported across southern Iran, including near the Bushehr nuclear facility, on Thursday (July 9), according to Iranian media. The United States denied carrying out any strikes, while Tehran also stopped short of accusing any country of being responsible.

Also read | Trump asserts Iran conflict unlikely to resume, says he is number one on Tehran's 'kill list'

Citing Iranian state media, AFP reported that a US-Israeli projectile struck a military headquarters on the outskirts of Bushehr, which is home to Iran's only civilian nuclear power plant.

“Several areas in Bushehr province were targeted today, including the perimeter of the nuclear power plant, a military base in the town of Choghadak and a fishing pier in the south of the province,” Bushehr Deputy Governor Ehsan Jahanian said. The official added that no fatalities had been reported.

Iran's Mehr News Agency also reported three more explosions in the southern city of Konarak.

A US official told Al Jazeera that the American military was not responsible for the latest attack.