Israel Pushes Washington to the Brink of War with Controversial Intelligence Report

Washington Message\n\nWashington – Said Arikat – 10/7/2026\n\nA new Israeli intelligence report, speaking of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump, has raised a wave of questions within political and intelligence circles in Washington, not only regarding the accuracy of the information contained therein, but also about its timing, and whether it represents a new attempt to influence the American decision-making process, and push the United States towards a broader military escalation against Iran, at a time when negotiation channels between the two countries remain open despite escalating tensions.\n\nCNN quoted two informed sources as saying that Israel informed the United States this week of intelligence information claiming that Iran had developed a new plan to target Trump, adding that this warning came amid the shaky ceasefire and the exchange of threats and strikes between Washington and Tehran.\n\nOne of the sources said that the Israeli warning included information about a specific plot, while another source explained that US intelligence agencies had been monitoring general indications of potential threats against Trump for weeks, but the Israeli report added a new narrative speaking of a specific operation.\n\nHowever, what is remarkable, according to American officials, is that Washington has not yet been able to independently verify the accuracy of the Israeli information, and US intelligence agencies were not following this scenario before receiving the warning, which led a number of officials to deal with it with extreme caution.\n\nSome American officials went further, considering that the Israeli report might be part of an attempt to influence President Trump's calculations, while he considers his options between expanding military operations against Iran, or giving diplomatic efforts a last chance to reach a new agreement.\n\nAlthough the United States has long warned of the possibility of Iran seeking revenge on Trump for his 2020 decision to assassinate the commander of Iran's "Quds Force" Qassem Soleimani, officials confirmed that the new information has not yet met the usual American intelligence verification procedures.\n\nWhen the White House was asked about the Israeli warning, it referred to statements made by Trump in which he said that Iran was seeking to assassinate him, adding: "They want to get rid of the leader of the United States... I am on all their lists," describing the Iranians as "sick, evil people."\n\nTrump later also said that he had seen a new list that put him at the top of the figures targeted by Iran, without clarifying whether he meant the information conveyed by Israel.\n\nThese developments came days after chants by participants in the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called for Trump's killing, at a time when US intelligence agencies confirm that they are monitoring a number of individuals and entities who have discussed carrying out potential attacks, but have not yet observed actual executive steps.\n\nIn parallel, disagreements continue between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on how to deal with Iran. While Netanyahu pushes for a tougher military option, the US administration keeps the door open for negotiations, despite Trump's announcement of the end of the memorandum of understanding with Tehran.\n\nAmerican officials confirmed that undeclared contacts between Washington and Tehran are still ongoing with the aim of reaching a new nuclear agreement before mid-August, while US forces have drawn up plans for potential strikes, but have postponed their implementation to allow for diplomatic solutions.\n\nThe Israeli report raises questions that go beyond the content of the intelligence information itself, to touch upon the nature of the relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv and the limits of the latter's influence on American decision-making. Within American institutions, there is a growing realization that information from any ally, no matter how important that ally is, cannot become the basis for a decision to go to war before it is independently verified. It seems that the doubts surrounding the Israeli report reflect this trend, especially with American officials admitting that they did not possess independent evidence confirming the accuracy of the Israeli claims before the warning arrived.\n\nOver the past decades, Israel has faced criticism within the United States for its continuous attempts to push American administrations towards adopting tougher policies in the Middle East. This debate recalls many issues, including promoting the danger of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion, as well as repeated lobbying campaigns to direct military strikes against Iran. From this perspective, a number of American analysts believe that the latest report may fall within a broader context of using intelligence information as a means to influence the White House's choices, serving the security priorities of the Israeli government, even if it results in the United States becoming involved in conflicts for which it bears all political, military, and economic costs.\n\nThese developments revive an old debate within the United States about whether American policy in the Middle East is formulated according to American national interests, or whether it is sometimes influenced by the calculations of allies, foremost among them Israel. The experiences of previous wars, especially the Iraq War, have prompted broad sectors of politicians and experts to call for not being drawn into unverified information or assessments that could be used to justify new military interventions. Therefore, the caution shown by American intelligence institutions regarding the Israeli report reflects a growing trend towards greater independence in evaluating information, and prioritizing direct American interests over political and regional pressures, regardless of their source.