Tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, with Israel claiming that Iran is planning to assassinate US President Donald Trump. The revelation comes amid ongoing military exchanges between Washington and Tehran, following the collapse of their brief ceasefire.
According to local authorities, US forces bombed Iran again overnight from Thursday to Friday, targeting a military facility near Bouchehr in the south of the country – the site of Iran's only operational nuclear power plant. However, the US Department of Defense has denied these reports. The US also stated that dozens of missiles and drones were fired by Iran without causing casualties, while Iran claims that 14 people have died and 78 have been wounded since hostilities resumed this week.
In response to the escalating situation, Iran's Foreign Minister reaffirmed his country's "determination" to "defend its territorial integrity, its sovereignty, and its national security." Meanwhile, Friday marked the final day of the six-day funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the supreme leader being buried in Mashhad, his hometown.
On the political front, President Trump held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night. The leaders reaffirmed "the continuation of coordination between their countries in various domains," according to the Israeli prime minister's office. According to Israeli intelligence services, the Iranian government is preparing a plan to assassinate the US president, as reported by CNN and The Wall Street Journal.
When questioned by AFP, the White House did not deny the reports, instead recalling Trump's own words from Wednesday: "They want to eliminate the American leader – me. I'm on a kind of list; I saw this morning that I'm on all their lists."
This information suggesting a new conspiracy comes at a time when the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump is strained due to the war in Iran. Despite being Israel's main ally, Trump has publicly criticized Netanyahu several times in recent weeks for continuing the offensive in southern Lebanon, which has jeopardized negotiations with Iran. Iran had conditioned any peace agreement on the end of Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Some sources cited by CNN consider that this transmission of Israeli intelligence to the US may be an effort by Netanyahu's government to convince Trump to continue the bombings against Iran.
