Israel has provided intelligence to the United States asserting that Iran is contemplating the deployment of chemical Weapons against its adversaries. According to U.S. and regional officials, this information has elicited alarm from some American policymakers while generating deep skepticism among others.
A segment of administration officials interprets the Israeli intelligence as a component of a pressure campaign orchestrated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Their assessment suggests the goal is to persuade the Trump administration to re-engage in major combat operations against Iran. Conversely, other officials argue that these threats warrant serious consideration, citing a recent series of warnings regarding Iran's preparations to target American interests.
Israel has also disseminated portions of this intelligence to officials in Gulf countries. Several of these regional counterparts expressed doubt that Iran is actively developing plans for chemical weapons use. Instead, they believe Israel is attempting to compel the United States and its allies to escalate the conflict into a more intense phase.
Historical context regarding Iranian chemical capabilities dates back decades. In 2003, Iran acknowledged having developed such capabilities during the 1980s Iran-Iraq war but stated that these programs were subsequently dismantled. In recent years, however, the United States has publicly asserted in its annual unclassified intelligence assessments that Iran likely aims to continue research and development efforts related to chemical weapons.
Sources: The New York Times World.