Full coverage· Security· Updated 3 Nov, 22:56

Israel Warns US of Potential Iranian Chemical Weapons Use

Israel has shared intelligence with the United States and Gulf states indicating that Iran is considering the use of chemical weapons against its adversaries. According to a report by The New York Times, Israeli officials presented this threat during meetings over the past two weeks as more urgent than Iran's nuclear program, claiming that Tehran is rapidly advancing technology to mount chemical agents on missiles or smuggle them for attacks.

15 newsrooms · 5 languages · since 3 Nov, 20:03

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What happened

01Israel shared intelligence with the United States and Gulf states suggesting Iran is considering using chemical weapons against its adversaries.
02Israeli officials presented the chemical weapons threat as more urgent than Iran's nuclear program during meetings over the past two weeks.
03Some U.S. officials are skeptical, viewing the intelligence as a pressure tactic by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prompt U.S. military action.
04Other U.S. officials believe the threat is serious, pointing to recent warnings of Iranian preparations to attack American interests.
05Gulf state officials expressed doubt over the claims, noting a lack of supporting evidence and suspecting an Israeli push to escalate the conflict.
06The White House and the CIA declined to comment on the shared intelligence and the credibility of the threat.
07Tehran denied possessing chemical weapons, labeling the Israeli warnings as a psychological campaign.
08An Iranian state television program recently featured a senior military advisor discussing the use of chemical weapons to render Israel uninhabitable.

The intelligence has divided American officials. Some view the warning with concern and urge caution, citing recent alerts about Iranian preparations to attack American interests. However, other senior U.S. officials are deeply skeptical, suspecting the intelligence is part of a pressure campaign by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to persuade the Trump administration to resume extensive military operations against Iran.

Similar skepticism was voiced by officials in some Gulf states, who noted that Israeli representatives presented the findings without supporting evidence. These officials suggested that Israel is attempting to push the United States and its partners into a more aggressive phase of the conflict. The White House and the CIA declined to comment on the matter.

While experts note significant technical challenges in dispersing chemical agents from missiles, and Israel's Home Front Command has not undertaken unusual preparations, Iran's chemical capabilities remain a subject of tracking. Tehran has denied possessing chemical weapons, calling the accusations a psychological campaign by Israel. Meanwhile, a program on Iran's state-run Channel 1 recently featured a senior military advisor discussing the potential use of chemical weapons to make Israel uninhabitable.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 12 newsrooms. Updated 3 Nov, 23:06