Israel Hands US Curiously-Timed Intelligence Saying Iran Plotting To Assassinate Trump

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Israel Hands US Curiously-Timed Intelligence Saying Iran Plotting To Assassinate Trump

by Tyler Durden

Authored...

Update(21:00ET): Here's what President Trump said from Ankara on Wednesday which left many wondering just what he was referring to: "They want to take out the U.S. leader—me," he said in reference to the Iranians. "I’m on every list. I saw this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn’t last very long."

The Wall Street Journal in a Thursday evening report says that Israel has provided fresh intelligence to the White House indicating just such a Tehran-linked plot. The timing is quite curious and interesting given it comes just as the warring sides standing on the brink of returning once again to full-scale war:

The Israelis have remained deeply dissatisfied with terms laid out in the previously agreed-to MoU, and so have every incentive to goad Washington further into the conflict. Certainly many within the US administration know this, and so might be taking this new 'intelligence warning' - which was leaked rather quickly to major media - with the appropriate degree of skepticism. 

Meanwhile the US says it is still engaged in 'technical talks' with Iran, despite the past days of tit-for-tat bombings. "Technical talks between the US and Iran are continuing, according to a US official, following two days of clashes that threatened to shatter an already fragile ceasefire between the two nations," reports Bloomberg, also late in the day Thursday. "The US is still committed to finding a solution with Iran, the official said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter."

So it appears there's still hope that things might not spiral further. As for the alleged assassination plot, this isn't the first time Iran has faced such accusations, and each time Tehran officials have vehemently denied them.

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Just as the US nighttime strikes were significantly bigger than prior rounds in June, so has Iran's 'retaliation' been bigger - chiefly on Gulf states and American bases there.

In the overnight and Thursday daytime hours, Iranian ballistic missiles and drones have targeted Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and even faraway Jordan. The country is reporting that it has intercepted several missiles, which targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base - jointly operated by US and Jordanian forces. Oil prices have persisted above prewar levels on Thursday.

Social Media/UGC/Reuters

"Jordan has intercepted eight Iranian missiles in its airspace after sirens sounded across the country, according to the armed forces," reports Al Jazeera. "Falling shrapnel did not cause any casualties or material damage, it added."

Following the US bombing of the Islamic Republic for a second consecutive night, which came after Iranian forces sought to enforce its own shipping route and protocol on the Strait of Hormuz (which saw several international vessels attacked), Tehran has newly confirmed it in turn struck "US bases and strategic centers” in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.

In particular the IRGC has claimed that two US bases in Kuwait and two base in Bahrain were attacked - and the Iranian elite force is threatening more to come. US Central Command (CENTCOM) says the rate of its strikes have grown to about 14 times the number of targets hit in the last late June flare-up in fighting.

According to the figures cites in the NY Times:

CENTCOM released footage of some of the fresh strikes:

In some instances civilian infrastructure like rail lines and bridges have reportedly been hit, which marks a return to the opening months of Operation Epic Fury, when targets all across the country were damaged or obliterated.

Little that's confirmable in the way of damage has come out of the Gulf states at this point: 

Iranian state sources have said the two days of renewed American attacks have killed 14 people and wounded 78. The casualty count could be much higher given that strikes and counterstrikes could be extended as an offramp becomes more elusive. Explosions have been observed along the Iranian coast, including Bushehr, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, and Sirik.

As for potential offramp, President Trump is still claiming that Tehran wants to make a deal "badly" - and even specified to reporters aboard Air Force One that Iran "called a while ago" make just such a request. Most pundits and reporters, after hearing the same line literally dozens of times over the past months, are skeptical to say the least. 

While this remains Trump's public-facing rhetoric, a fresh Thursday report in The Wall Street Journal offers a contrasting account. "Angered by the strikes, Trump pressed them on whether they believed Iran was serious about reaching a final deal," WSJ writes. "In the end, after discussing it with his senior aides, the president decided they weren't."

Trump had later (on Wednesday) said from Ankara at the NATO summit, "To me, I think it’s over." He then emphasized: "I don't want to deal with them…They’re liars, they’re cheats, they’re sick people."

As for Tehran's position, "An Iranian diplomat said Wednesday that the US had violated the peace deal by setting up a shipping lane that wasn’t coordinated with Tehran, contending that it justified the Islamic Republic’s decision to fire at traffic," according to the same report.

From there, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned alongside Trump that the United States would hit Iran "even more, and even deeper" - after that the Pentagon announced it would "further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

A US official was also quoted in the WSJ as saying Iran had chosen "the path of violence" and so will face the consequences.

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More overnight developments

via Newsquawk...

Overnight strikes:

• At the direction of the Commander in Chief, US Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway.
• US military base in Kuwait was hit in an Iranian retaliatory attack, while explosions heard at the US Fifth fleet HQ in Bahrain.
• Iranian missiles targeted the Azraq base in eastern Jordan, Fars reported.
• Iranian opposition sources report that maritime industries, shipyards, and the Revolutionary Guards' naval base in Bandar Abbas were attacked, report Kan News.

US Commentary:

• US President Trump said Iran called a while ago, they want to make a deal.
• US President Trump's frustration with Iran was due in part to his anger over the Strait not being fully open yet and that Iran hit ships transiting the Strait, CNN reported citing a US official. The official added that Trump is losing patience with the pace of negotiations, specifically Iran's appearing to slow walk Washington on the nuclear talks.
• US President Trump posted "This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!".
• US President Trump said Iran was just hit very hard, we have many ways to win; do not know if Iran will honour a deal but Iran wants to make a deal badly. Europe wants to help on Iran.
• A US official said the ceasefire with Iran has been halted, at least temporarily, CNN reported.
• "Everything depends on Iran's response - if they continue to shoot, the night's events could become a daily, weekly event. We are prepared," i24News reported citing a US source.
• The length and severity of the new campaign depends entirely on Tehran's next moves, Axios reported citing a US official; The White House is preparing for a multi-day or multi-week exchange of fire with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Israel has no connection to the US strikes on Iran, Al Arabiya reported citing an Israeli military source. Any attempt to target Israel will be met with a swift, decisive and strong response.

Iran Commentary:

Lebanon:

• "The US ambassador in Beirut: Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have moved to Rome for technical reasons", via Al Arabiya. Preparations are underway regarding the start of work in the pilot areas.
• Israeli Defence Minister Katz said they will remain within the Lebanon security zone and will operate within it until Hezbollah is disarmed.
• Others

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