The alleged plan emerged as renewed fighting deepened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
WASHINGTON, DC — Israeli intelligence officials have warned the United States that Iran recently developed a new plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the intelligence, adding another security concern during renewed U.S. military operations against Tehran.
The reported warning comes as the United States and Iran exchange strikes following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire. American officials have not publicly described the alleged assassination plan, identified its suspected organizers or said how far it advanced. Iran also has not publicly accepted responsibility. The disclosure nevertheless carries weight because U.S. prosecutors have documented earlier Iranian operations targeting Trump and other Americans.
Israel shared the intelligence with U.S. officials in recent weeks, according to reports published Thursday, July 9. People familiar with the matter described the information as more specific than earlier warnings, though they did not disclose a location, timetable or proposed method of attack. The White House, Secret Service and Israeli government had not released detailed public statements about the intelligence by Friday. Trump acknowledged the broader threat during a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where he said Iran considers him its leading target. His comments did not confirm the reported Israeli findings. U.S. officials routinely avoid discussing security measures surrounding the president, particularly when a threat remains under investigation.
The new warning arrived during a sharp rise in military pressure. The United States resumed strikes against Iranian targets after Trump declared that a ceasefire framework was over. Iran answered with attacks aimed at U.S.-aligned states and military positions in the Persian Gulf region. The fighting has placed American personnel, diplomats and senior leaders on higher alert. It also has complicated negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, missiles, maritime attacks and access through the Strait of Hormuz. Officials have not said whether the alleged assassination plan was created before or after the latest round of combat. They also have not identified evidence showing whether Iran had selected operatives, moved money, conducted surveillance or attempted to place anyone near Trump.
The reported threat follows years of Iranian statements seeking retaliation for the Jan. 3, 2020, U.S. drone strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport. Trump ordered the strike during his first term. Soleimani commanded the Quds Force, the overseas branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and played a major role in Iran’s military relationships across the Middle East. Iranian leaders repeatedly promised to punish U.S. officials involved in his death. American authorities later increased protection for several former officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former national security adviser John Bolton. The federal government has treated those threats as continuing security matters rather than political statements alone.
Federal court cases have provided the clearest public evidence of alleged Iranian efforts against Trump. In November 2024, the Justice Department charged Farhad Shakeri, an alleged Revolutionary Guard asset believed to be living in Iran. Prosecutors said an Iranian official instructed Shakeri on Oct. 7, 2024, to produce a plan to monitor and kill Trump. According to the criminal complaint, Shakeri told investigators he did not intend to meet the deadline given to him. He remains at large. The charges also accused him of directing plots against an Iranian American journalist, Jewish Americans and Israeli tourists. Iran rejected the accusations and described them as an effort to damage the country.
Another case involved Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national who prosecutors said received training from the Revolutionary Guard and entered the United States in April 2024. Investigators said Merchant met people he believed were contract killers, but they were undercover law enforcement officers. Authorities arrested him before he could leave the country in July 2024. A federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Merchant on March 6, 2026, of murder for hire and attempting an act of terrorism across national borders. Justice Department officials said the operation targeted U.S. politicians and government officials, including Trump. Merchant faces up to life in prison, though the court had not announced a final sentence when the latest Israeli warning became public.
Those cases differ from the new intelligence because prosecutors released sworn complaints, arrest records and courtroom evidence in the earlier investigations. No comparable public document has been produced for the latest allegation. It remains unknown whether investigators have opened a criminal case, identified suspects or connected the reported plan to people charged in previous operations. It also is unclear whether Israeli agencies obtained the intelligence through intercepted communications, human sources, captured records or another method. Intelligence reports can change as agencies test their reliability, compare accounts and examine whether adversaries are attempting to mislead them.
The warning also enters a strained political relationship among the United States, Israel and Iran. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have worked closely on military action against Tehran, but their governments have not always agreed on the timing or goals of negotiations. Some U.S. officials have questioned whether public warnings from Israel could increase pressure on Trump to take a harder position. Israeli officials, however, view Iran’s leadership, missile forces and overseas networks as direct threats. The reported assassination intelligence may reinforce Israel’s argument that Tehran remains dangerous even after months of military losses and leadership upheaval.
Iran has faced widening disruption since U.S. and Israeli forces began a major campaign against its military and political leadership earlier in 2026. Strikes damaged Iranian naval, air and missile capabilities and killed senior officials, according to statements from Washington and Jerusalem. Tehran has continued launching drones and missiles while threatening further retaliation. Iranian officials say the United States and Israel started the conflict and are responsible for regional instability. American and Israeli leaders say their operations are meant to prevent attacks, weaken Iran’s armed forces and stop the country from developing a nuclear weapon.
The Secret Service is responsible for protecting Trump at the White House, during domestic travel and on foreign trips. The agency adjusts routes, aircraft, motorcades, event access and protective formations when intelligence agencies identify possible threats. Officials generally do not announce those changes. Trump returned from the NATO gathering under tight security as reports about the alleged plot spread. No official said that a travel change or public event had been canceled because of the Israeli warning. The lack of public detail does not show whether authorities consider an attack imminent, only that operational information remains classified.
Investigators are expected to examine any names, financial transfers, travel records and communications tied to the intelligence. They could also compare the information with existing files involving the Revolutionary Guard and suspected criminal intermediaries. Iranian operations described in earlier cases relied on people outside the government to conduct surveillance, purchase weapons or approach possible attackers. That structure can make responsibility difficult to prove quickly. Formal charges would require prosecutors to establish identifiable acts and participants, while intelligence agencies can act on information that may not yet meet courtroom standards.
For now, the alleged plan remains an intelligence warning rather than a publicly documented criminal case. U.S. officials have not announced arrests, charges or a scheduled briefing. The next milestone will be any statement from the White House, Secret Service, Justice Department or Israeli government confirming the threat and explaining whether investigators have identified an active operation.
Author note: Last updated July 10, 2026.