Published: · Region: Middle East · Category: intelligence

U.S. and Israel Quietly Rerouted Air Force One After Suspected Iranian Plot

Israeli intelligence warned Washington of an alleged Iranian plan to target Air Force One with shoulder-fired missiles as the U.S. president departed a NATO summit in Ankara, prompting a last-minute switch to a different aircraft. The episode, described by people familiar with the matter, shows how Iran-related threats can reach into the heart of U.S. presidential security. Readers will learn how the plot was detected, what it says about Iran’s methods, and how it could reshape future presidential travel in contested regions.

U.S. and Israeli officials quietly altered presidential travel plans after intelligence suggested Iran-linked actors were exploring ways to target Air Force One with shoulder-fired missiles, an episode that underscores how Middle East rivalries can reach into the heart of American power. According to accounts circulating on 11 August, Israel alerted U.S. counterparts to intelligence indicating an “Iranian plot to target” the U.S. president and his aircraft as he departed a NATO summit in Ankara. The president had arrived in Türkiye aboard a newly delivered Boeing 747‑8, a gift from Qatar making its first international presidential trip. In response to the warning, U.S. security teams reportedly switched the president to a…

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