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Israel shared intelligence information with the United States stating that Iran is considering a plan to eliminate President Donald Trump, according to sources familiar with the matter revealed to The Wall Street Journal.
The warning comes at a time of heightened tension between Washington and Tehran, with the ceasefire agreement signed in June already declared "over" by Trump on Wednesday, July 8, following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a source cited by CNN, the Israeli intelligence report is new and concerns a specific plan, unlike the "constant drumbeat of intelligence" that the U.S. has been receiving in recent weeks regarding possible threats against the president.
However, two sources from the Israeli Channel 12 clarified that the information referred to general discussions among Iranian officials regarding the possibility of eliminating Trump, not to a specific and ongoing conspiracy.
The U.S. had not independently verified Israeli intelligence nor was it tracking it before receiving the warning, according to two sources from CNN.
Diplomatic maneuver or real threat?
Several U.S. officials suggested that the Israeli report could be, in part, an attempt to influence Trump's decision-making regarding Iran.
The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed deep doubts about Washington's diplomatic efforts with Tehran and has clashed with Trump over the Israeli military action in Lebanon, which complicated the peace negotiations.
A source from the intelligence community told CNN that some analysts are always skeptical of Israeli reports, and that this is seen, in part, as a piece of Israel's broader strategy to shape Trump's policy toward Iran.
Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Trump this Thursday, and he is expected to visit Washington soon.
Trump acknowledges being on "all the Iranian lists"
When asked about the Israeli warning, the White House referred journalists to the statements Trump made on Wednesday in front of the press.
“They want to eliminate the leader of the U.S., which is me,” said the president.
"I am on every list. I saw this morning that I am on each and every one of their lists. So far, I suppose I have been somewhat lucky, but perhaps that won't last much longer. They are wicked and sick individuals. We need to root out that cancer," he added.
Trump also mentioned having recently come across a new list that places him as the primary target of Iran, although it was not clear if he was specifically referring to the intelligence warning shared by Israel.
An ongoing war and funerals with open threats
The conflict between the U.S. and Iran erupted on February 28, 2026, when American and Israeli forces eliminated the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the so-called "Epic Fury Operation."
During the funerals of Jamenei, held on Thursday in Mashhad, Iranian crowds chanted slogans calling for Trump's death and displayed banners with the message "We will kill Trump."
On Thursday, the U.S. bombed over 80 Iranian military targets, as confirmed by Central Command (CENTCOM), in response to Iranian attacks on commercial ships.
Iran has been promising for years to avenge the death of General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone in January 2020 on Trump's orders.
In November 2024, the Department of Justice dismantled an Iranian plot to eliminate Trump before the presidential elections, accusing three individuals connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
Diplomacy, on a thread
Despite the escalation, a senior U.S. official indicated that Washington has not ruled out a negotiated solution.
"The United States remains committed to finding a resolution, and technical discussions are ongoing," he stated.
The same official was forceful regarding the Iranian attacks:
"Iran's attacks on those innocent ships are acts of terrorism. The memorandum of understanding is based on compliance, and Iran's actions constitute an unacceptable breach."
Washington and Tehran are working to reach a nuclear agreement before mid-August, although the situation on the ground makes that possibility increasingly fragile.
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