Israel Shares Warning on Possible Iranian Chemical Weapons Use

Israel has shared intelligence with U.S. officials alleging that Iran may be considering the use of chemical weapons against its adversaries, prompting disagreement among American officials over the warning’s credibility and implications. The assessment was presented to U.S. intelligence agencies and other officials during discussions over the past two weeks, according to officials cited in reporting on the intelligence-sharing. Israeli officials also shared some information with officials in Gulf countries. The underlying intelligence has not been made public, and the reports do not independently establish that Iran is planning to deploy chemical weapons. Some U.S. officials regard the warning as serious, pointing to recent alerts about possible Iranian attacks on U.S. interests. Others question the assessment and suspect Israel is seeking to persuade the Trump administration to resume major military operations against Iran. Gulf officials who received information have also expressed doubts about whether Tehran intends to carry out chemical-weapons attacks. The differing views concern the alleged prospect of using the weapons, not simply whether Iran conducts research. Recent...