Israel Shares Intelligence With US Suggesting Iran Weighs Chemical Weapons
Israel has shared intelligence with the US and Gulf states suggesting Iran is considering chemical weapons use, sparking mixed reactions among American officials regarding potential pressure for military action.
Israel has shared intelligence with the United States suggesting that Iran is considering the use of chemical weapons against its adversaries, according to a report published by The New York Times on Tuesday. US officials reacted to the information with mixed assessments, as some viewed the intelligence with severe skepticism while others treated the warnings with greater concern.
Several US officials asserted that the intelligence could be part of a pressure campaign led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at prompting the Trump administration to re-engage in military conflict with Iran. Conversely, other officials emphasized that the warnings must be taken seriously, noting recent alerts regarding Iranian preparations ahead of a potential US strike.
According to the report, Israel also shared this intelligence with senior officials in Gulf states. Several of these regional officials expressed doubt regarding the existence of active Iranian chemical weapons plans, suggesting instead that Israel is attempting to pressure Washington and its allies into renewing military action against Tehran.
US suspicions regarding an Iranian chemical weapons program or intentions to establish one date back to earlier years. Iran previously acknowledged developing chemical capabilities during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, but maintained that the program was subsequently shelved.
In recent years, the United States has publicly cited intelligence indicating an alleged willingness by Iran to continue research and development related to chemical weapons. Tehran has consistently denied possessing chemical weapons, previously dismissing such claims as psychological warfare orchestrated by Netanyahu and Israel.
