Iran tried to kill Netanyahu's son, Israeli PM says

TEL AVIV,— Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Iran had attempted to kill one of his sons, though he did not say when the alleged plot occurred, which son was the target, or how far the plan had advanced.

The claim comes amid rising tensions since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February, a conflict that left Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top Iranian officials dead.

Netanyahu, whose coalition currently lags behind rivals in opinion surveys ahead of the October 27 national election, made the statement during a phone interview with Israel’s Channel 14, a network known for coverage favorable to his government.

He spoke after reports surfaced that an Israeli security agency had refused to grant protection to a political opponent in the run-up to the vote.

Netanyahu said Iran had gone after one of his sons and tried to have him killed, calling the situation unbelievable.

He added that this was why security protection should not be viewed as optional. He offered no further explanation of the alleged threat or how close it came to happening.

It remains unclear which son he meant. His older son, Yair, currently resides in Miami.

Iran’s United Nations mission in New York had not responded to requests for comment on the allegation by the time of publication.

Netanyahu also stated he instructed Shin Bet chief David Zini to ensure proper security coverage for all candidates running for prime minister.

Israeli news outlets had previously reported that Zini turned down a request to protect Gadi Eisenkot and informed the national election authority that no credible threat against him existed.

Polls currently show Eisenkot’s party leading in projected seats, though Israel’s parliamentary system typically requires coalition building among several parties to form a government, rather than a single party securing an outright majority.

(With files from Reuters)