Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of being responsible for two separate assassination attempts targeting President Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign season. In a recent interview, Netanyahu claimed that Iranian-backed operatives orchestrated both incidents in an effort to eliminate what he described as their “number one enemy.”
The first attempt took place at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks fired a round that narrowly missed Trump’s head before being neutralized by the Secret Service. The second incident occurred at Trump’s Florida golf club, where a man identified as Ryan Routh was apprehended carrying a semi-automatic weapon.
According to Netanyahu, Israeli intelligence has linked both events to networks funded or influenced by the Iranian regime. Although the U.S. government has not officially confirmed Tehran’s direct role, Trump himself has previously suggested Iran may have been behind the attacks.
Netanyahu also revealed that he was potentially a target, adding that Iran viewed both leaders as significant obstacles to its nuclear ambitions. He argued that the assassination of Trump would have significantly advanced Iran’s strategic goals.
Iranian officials have denied any involvement, and the U.S. intelligence community has yet to publicly assign blame. The allegations come amid heightened tensions following Israel’s airstrikes on Iranian military sites and Tehran’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks.