Israel warns of possible Iranian drone attack targeting Trump and top US officials: Report
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump and his senior administration officials have been warned that Iran may have been planning to attack them with explosive devices dropped from drones. Security has been ramped up after Israel's Mossad intelligence agency alerted the CIA to possible attacks against Trump and other senior US officials, Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom said.
The warnings come amid reports that the likelihood of a US-Iran deal has shrunk, and Trump has shifted his stance in negotiating with Tehran. The US agencies have requested Mossad to verify the intelligence, according to Israel Hayom. The report said the threats were also a key reason for Trump's recent shift in his position on Iran.
Israel warns of possible drone attacks targeting Trump
As reported by Israel Hayom, the Mossad tipped off the CIA about possible Iranian plots to harm Trump and high-ranking members of his team. The report states the potential assassinations could include the use of explosive-laden drones that are hard to detect through typical security scans.
Roman Gofman, the head of Mossad, is currently on a visit to the United States and met with John Ratcliffe, director of the US CIA.
In response to the alleged threat, a number of senior officials have also been given more protection. Several have limited their public engagements; others have supposedly been shifted from their residences to protected locations.
Fox News reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was evacuated from his house in the Georgetown area of Washington to a secure military installation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been evacuated to secure military housing. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is at a secure military facility.
Trump has also been given additional security protection, while his public appearances have been sharply reduced.
Earlier warnings precede this one
The latest warning was issued after other reports of Iranian threats against the president. A report in The Jerusalem Post in August, citing Reuters, said the US had received multiple warnings from Israel over the past year that Iran intended to kill Trump. US intelligence agencies could not verify these warnings independently.
Among the most specific alerts was a warning issued ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara this July. Israeli authorities warned their counterparts in the Trump administration that Iran might try to shoot down Air Force One with a shoulder-launched missile when he was aboard.
A Turkish official said his country's intelligence agencies found no basis for the intelligence, but the White House and Secret Service moved the president to another plane to leave Turkey.
Trump has also removed Vice President JD Vance from the negotiations with Iran. Vance had been pushing for a deal. In a statement on Thursday, Trump said he had asked Vance to give “his complete and total attention” to what he described as widespread corruption and crime in Democratic-run cities and states.
“We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed. We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!” Trump wrote, referring to the Strait of Hormuz.
