Netanyahu accuses Iran of attempted assassination targeting his son

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed on Channel 14 that Iranian forces made a direct attempt to assassinate one of his sons, defending the extensive security measures provided to his family amid an ongoing political campaign.

"Iran tried to kill one of my sons. And that is why this security detail is not a whim," Netanyahu stated in the broadcast. He emphasised that the heightened protection granted to his family by Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet, was critical to preventing a tragedy. "Such security is not a luxury. Without it, they would have succeeded," he added.

Netanyahu, who has been married three times, has three children: a daughter, Noa, and two sons, Yair and Avner.

The claim comes against a backdrop of complex regional manoeuvres involving his family's profile. Last summer, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence leveraged publicity surrounding the wedding of Netanyahu's son, Avner, to divert Iranian attention ahead of pre-emptive strikes on June 13, 2025, against Iran's major nuclear facilities. Dubbed Operation "Red Wedding," the Prime Minister's office had publicly signalled that Netanyahu would take leave for the nuptials scheduled for Monday, June 16, creating a tactical distraction.

A decades-long shadow war between Israel and Iran escalated into a full-scale military conflict late this February, drawing in direct military support from the United States in defence of Israel.

Although Washington and Tehran negotiated a ceasefire in June, the truce collapsed after several weeks when Tehran accused the U.S. of violating the terms of the agreement, leading to a prompt resumption of hostilities.

By Tamilla Hasanova