Israeli prime minister offers no details on alleged plot amid heightened tensions and approaching elections.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons, without providing any details about when the alleged plot occurred, which of his two sons was targeted, or how close it came to being carried out.
Netanyahu Claims Iran Targeted His Son:
Netanyahu made the assertion on Monday during a telephone interview, a conservative outlet known for favourable coverage of his government. “This is an unbelievable case. Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to murder him, tried to murder one of my sons,” he said.
He added that security protection for his family “is not a luxury,” warning that without it, “they will succeed.” Netanyahu was responding to reports that Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency had declined to provide a full security detail for Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief and political rival who is running closely with him ahead of the October 27 general election. Netanyahu said he had spoken to Shin Bet chief David Zini and asked that appropriate protection be given to any prime ministerial candidate.
Netanyahu has two sons, Yair and Avner, and a daughter. It remains unclear which son was allegedly targeted. Yair, the elder son, has spent extended periods in Miami since early 2024, while Avner lives in Israel. Both sons and Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, were granted extended personal protection by Israeli authorities in July.
The claim comes against the backdrop of sharply escalated hostilities between Israel and Iran. Earlier this year, a joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran resulted in the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several of his family members in a strike on Tehran. Israeli security officials have previously assessed that Netanyahu and his family face a high level of threat due to Iranian desires for revenge following targeted killings of senior Iranian figures.
Netanyahu’s Iran Claim Sparks Fresh Tensions:
Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the accusation. No independent evidence or further details about the alleged plot have been made public. Some Israeli reports indicated the information had previously been subject to military censorship.
Netanyahu’s coalition is trailing in opinion polls two months before the nationwide vote. The revelation of the alleged Iranian plot appears intended, in part, to underscore the need for heightened security measures for political figures and their families during the election campaign.
The accusation adds another layer to the already volatile regional confrontation, in which both sides have traded threats and carried out strikes, with civilians and political leaders frequently invoked in the rhetoric of escalation.