Israeli Intelligence Reportedly Warns US That Iran Is Pursuing Chemical Weapons Capability
A New York Times report says Israeli officials have told Washington that Iran is working to mount chemical agents on missiles, but US officials are divided over whether the warning reflects a genuine threat or a political pressure campaign.
Israeli intelligence has privately warned the United States that it believes Iran is working to develop the capability to arm missiles with chemical agents, according to a report published by The New York Times citing American and Middle Eastern officials. The report says Israeli officials have described the alleged chemical weapons effort as an even more urgent concern than Iran's nuclear programme, a shift in emphasis that has prompted debate inside the US security establishment.
According to the account, Iran is moving quickly to acquire the means to deliver chemical agents via missile against Israel or US allies in the region. Tehran has consistently denied developing such weapons, saying it dismantled its chemical weapons programme in 2003 and has not revived it since.
The reporting indicates that US officials are not united in their assessment. Some regard the Israeli warning as credible and deserving of serious attention, while others view it as part of a broader pressure campaign by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at persuading the Trump administration to resume military strikes on Iran.
The timing of the warning has drawn scrutiny. Netanyahu is reportedly fighting for his political survival after his bloc failed to secure a majority in last week's Israeli elections, and he has been urging President Trump to renew strikes against Iran, according to the report.
Doubts about the urgency of the claim have also been reinforced by Israel's own civil defence posture. The New York Times report notes that Israel's Home Front Command has not included chemical weapons preparations in its civilian safety drills this week, suggesting the threat is not being treated as imminent at the public level. The Israeli military has not responded to the report.
The episode highlights the difficulty Washington faces in weighing intelligence assessments that arrive alongside political developments in the region. With no independent confirmation of the alleged programme and Iran's repeated denials on record, the debate over how seriously to treat the warning is likely to continue in the coming weeks.
