In brief

• Israeli intelligence reportedly warned the US and Gulf states that Iran may prepare chemical weapons against regional adversaries.
• US officials are divided, with some suspecting the warning is meant to push the administration toward renewed military action against Iran.
• Trump is reportedly weighing new strikes on Iran, and some allies question whether Pentagon leadership is giving him an accurate picture.

Intelligence warning on chemical weapons

Israeli intelligence officials have shared with the United States and Persian Gulf countries data suggesting Iran is preparing to use chemical weapons against opponents in the region (Ізраїль попередив США про загрозу застосування Іраном хімічної зброї – NYT – Українська правда). According to reports, Israeli officials told their American counterparts in recent weeks that this threat had become more urgent than Iran's nuclear program.

Alleged delivery methods

Israel says Tehran is accelerating work on technology that would allow ballistic missiles to carry toxic payloads. Other possible routes under consideration include strike drones and the covert smuggling of chemical munitions across borders to carry out sabotage. Iranian authorities have previously said they developed such weapons during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and later destroyed them (NYT: Израиль предупредил США, что Иран может применить химическое оружие. Некоторые чиновники сочли это попыткой заставить Трампа возобновить удары – Meduza).

Divided reaction in Washington

The intelligence has caused disagreement inside the US administration. Some officials have taken the warnings seriously amid rising tensions and threats to American military sites in the Middle East. Others have expressed deep skepticism, suggesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government may be using the intelligence as leverage to persuade the Trump administration to resume a large-scale military campaign against Tehran. Some officials have drawn comparisons to the faulty intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Possible renewed strikes

US media have reported in recent weeks that Washington could carry out new strikes on Iran. Trump has also been weighing new attacks meant to bring Tehran back to negotiations, with options ranging from strikes lasting hours to weeks, or keeping the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in place (Трамп решил свалить на Хегсета вину за неудачу с Ираном – Charter 97).

Pressure on Pentagon leadership

Some people close to the president have questioned whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine are giving him an accurate picture of the campaign, with one ally saying Hegseth knows how to tell the president what he wants to hear.

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