Israel Reportedly Warned U.S. That Iran Is Considering Chemical Weapons Use

Israel shared intelligence with the United States suggesting that Iran was considering using chemical weapons against its adversaries, according to American and regional officials cited in reporting published on November 3. The account describes an intelligence assessment, rather than a confirmed Iranian decision to carry out a chemical attack. Israeli officials reportedly discussed the threat with American intelligence agencies over the preceding two weeks, presenting it as more immediate than Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Some American officials were concerned by the information, while others expressed substantial skepticism. Some interpreted the warning as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government’s efforts to persuade President Donald Trump’s administration to resume broader fighting against Iran. Israel also reportedly shared some intelligence with officials in Gulf states. Some Gulf officials questioned whether Iran had an actual plan to use chemical weapons and suspected that the warning was intended to encourage renewed intensive fighting. The reported sharing of intelligence does not establish that those governments accepted Israel’s assessment. In an earlier announcement about a March 31 strike, the IDF said it had targeted a Tofiq Darou research-and-development factory that supplied fentanyl to SPND. The military described SPND as responsible for Iranian chemical-weapons development and said the material supported that research. That earlier military statement does not confirm the newly reported intelligence warning or an Iranian decision to use such weapons.