Israel has shared intelligence with the United States (US) and Gulf countries claiming that Iran is considering using chemical weapons against its adversaries, but the information has divided American officials, with some questioning whether Prime Minister (PM) of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to draw President of US Donald Trump back into military action against Tehran.
According to a report by an American newspaper, Israeli officials have presented the chemical weapons threat as more urgent than Iran’s nuclear ambitions during discussions with US intelligence agencies and other officials over the past two weeks.
The Israeli intelligence reportedly suggests that Iran is developing ways to deliver chemical weapons through missiles or smuggle them into countries it considers adversaries.
However, the claims have met with differing reactions in Washington. Some US officials believe Netanyahu’s government is using the intelligence as part of an effort to persuade the Trump administration to resume major combat operations against Iran.
Others believe the warnings require serious consideration in light of recent threats from Tehran against American interests.
Iranian authorities have not publicly responded to the latest allegations. However, Iranian academic Mohammad Marandi dismissed the claims in a post on X, calling the report “Fake news twice over”. Sharing the report, Marandi wrote: “The West uses chemical weapons — I survived them — not Iran.”
Several Gulf officials who received the Israeli briefings also questioned the claims, doubting that Iran was developing plans to use chemical weapons. They believe Israel is attempting to push the US and its regional partners towards a more intense phase of the conflict.
The American concerns about Iran’s chemical weapons capabilities date back decades. In 2003, Iran acknowledged developing chemical capabilities during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s but maintained that it had later dismantled them.
The US has also stated in its annual unclassified intelligence assessments in recent years that Iran “likely aims” to continue research and development related to chemical weapons.
Tehran has denied possessing chemical weapons and previously described such allegations as “psychological war” being waged by Israel and Netanyahu.
The latest intelligence debate comes after eight months of war, with Washington and Tehran exploring the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough while preparing for a potential return to hostilities.
