Israel has shared fresh intelligence with the United States indicating that Iran had developed a new plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The intelligence marks an escalation in Iran's long-standing threats against Trump, who has reportedly, repeatedly been targeted in retaliation for the January 2020 US strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.
The White House referred queries on the report to Trump's own remarks made on Wednesday, WSJ said.
Addressing threats to his life at a NATO summit news conference in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump said he was on "whatever list" Iran maintained, adding that he had "been a bit lucky" so far.
He described those behind the threats as "evil, sick people" and said "you've got to cut out cancer early."
The intelligence surfaced amid reported friction between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how to proceed following last month's conflict with Iran. Netanyahu has pushed for continued military pressure on Tehran, while Trump has sought to preserve a fragile ceasefire following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
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Netanyahu's office, however, rejected characterisations of a rift, saying the two leaders spoke on Thursday and agreed to continue close coordination between their countries.
The statement said Trump also briefed Netanyahu on recent US military activity in the Gulf.
Meanwhile, Iranian mourners at the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were seen chanting for Trump's death and displaying a banner reading "We Will Kill Trump."
ALSO READ: Pakistan, Qatar Step In To Mediate As Fresh US-Iran Clashes Spark War Fears
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