Israel's Shin Bet internal security service confirmed on Saturday that a significant Iranian threat against Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompted an urgent evacuation of Yair and his security team from Florida back to Israel.
Shin Bet confirms Iran threat against Yair Netanyahu, prompting evacuation from Florida
Israel's Shin Bet internal security service confirmed on Saturday that a significant Iranian threat against Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompted an urgent evacuation of Yair and his security team from Florida back to Israel.
The Shin Bet stated: 'There was indeed a significant threat to harm Yair Netanyahu, and in light of this, following a situation assessment, a decision was made to extract him together with his security team urgently back to Israel.'
The original report about the threat was published by the Boca Raton-based Newsmax website on Tuesday, citing a US law enforcement source described as allegedly familiar with the situation. That report said Israeli intelligence discovered an Iranian plot in December to assassinate Yair in Florida and passed a warning to US authorities.
According to the Newsmax report, the US source said Iranian operatives were already 'on the ground' in the Miami area and had conducted surveillance on Yair's residence and movements. Yair, who is accompanied by Israeli security at all times, was instructed to leave immediately and departed without his belongings, returning directly to Israel, where he currently lives.
Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Channel 14 that Iran had attempted to assassinate one of his sons but declined to specify whether the target was Yair or his other son, Avner. 'There is something here that is unimaginable,' Netanyahu said. 'Iran marked one of my sons. Iran tried to murder him – tried to murder one of my sons.'
- The source does not state the precise date on which Yair Netanyahu was evacuated from Florida.
- The source does not state what specific actions, if any, US law enforcement took in response to the reported threat.
- The source does not state whether any Iranian operatives have been identified, detained, or charged in connection with the alleged plot.
- The source does not include any response or statement from Iranian authorities regarding the alleged assassination plot.
- The source does not establish whether the 'December' plot referenced in the Newsmax report and the threat confirmed by the Shin Bet refer to the same incident.
- The source does not state Yair Netanyahu's own response or comment on the threat or evacuation.
Read the original at The Jerusalem Post