Israel Warned of Iranian Revenge Threats, Boosts Security for Officials

In recent days, current and former Israeli ministers and senior officials have received security warnings about potential Iranian attempts to target various figures as part of Tehran's efforts to exact revenge for the elimination of its top leadership. Israeli security agencies, including the Shin Bet, have increased protection measures for Israeli dignitaries and instructed them to break routines and adopt heightened caution.

An unusual security step was taken by changing the departure location of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's flight to Washington from Ben Gurion Airport to Nevatim Airbase, with flight times and routes kept secret. This follows a front-page headline in an Iranian newspaper earlier this month declaring "Revenge Soon."

In the United States, similar precautions have been implemented amid Iranian threats. On July 9, The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence advised then-President Donald Trump to fly on the older Air Force One plane from Turkey instead of the newly refurbished one gifted by Qatar, due to renewed tensions with Iran. The Wall Street Journal later revealed that this switch followed Israeli intelligence about a possible assassination plot against Trump.

While some U.S. officials expressed skepticism about the credibility of the threat, fearing Israeli intelligence might be influencing U.S. policy toward a broader conflict with Iran, The Times reported on July 25 that the sudden plane change was due to a "credible threat" from Iranian proxy forces. CBS further reported that U.S. authorities identified a genuine plot to launch a missile at the aircraft.

These developments underscore heightened security concerns in Israel and the U.S. amid escalating Iranian hostility and the ongoing shadow conflict following the targeted killings of Iranian leaders.