Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed that Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons, breaking months of silence on security threats against his family amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.
“Something incredible happened: Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to kill one of my sons,” Netanyahu said during a phone interview with Israel’s Channel 14 television. He did not specify which son was targeted, when the alleged plot took place, or how close it came to being carried out.
Netanyahu’s elder son Yair, 35, has spent extended periods in Miami since early 2024, reportedly under Shin Bet protection. His prolonged stay in the United States has attracted controversy over the cost to taxpayers of providing security, while some south Florida residents have expressed concern that his presence could make the area a target.
Election Context and Security Debate
The remarks came during a discussion about reports that the Shin Bet domestic security agency had declined to provide protection for Gadi Eisenkot, the former army chief who is running neck and neck with Netanyahu ahead of elections on October 27. Netanyahu voiced support for around-the-clock protection for all prime ministerial candidates.
“Without that, they will succeed,” Netanyahu said, linking the alleged attempt on his son to the broader security arrangements surrounding political leaders during wartime.
The claim underscores the heightened personal stakes of the conflict that began in February, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders. Iran retaliated with strikes across the Middle East targeting Gulf nations and US military bases.
Iran Does Not Respond
Iran’s mission at the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the accusation. The allegations have not been independently verified.
Netanyahu’s coalition is currently trailing in opinion polls two months before the general election, with Eisenkot’s party projected to win the largest number of seats. Israeli governments are typically formed through coalitions rather than single-party majorities.
The assassination allegation adds another layer of tension to the already volatile Iran-Israel dynamic, which has seen direct military confrontation for the first time since the war began six months ago.
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