Turkey suspects Israeli warning of Iran plot against Trump was fabricated

Turkish officials suspect an Israeli intelligence warning about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump during a July Nato summit in Ankara was fabricated to disrupt sensitive diplomatic negotiations, according to Turkish officials and people familiar with the matter.

Israeli intelligence warned US officials that an Iranian covert operations unit planned to target Trump's aircraft with shoulder-fired missiles, known as Manpads, while it was parked at Etimesgut Air Base, says the Middle East Eye.

"Supposedly, the Iranians could target the aircraft from within a one-kilometre radius using shoulder-fired missiles known as Manpads," a person familiar with the matter said.

The warning was treated seriously by US security officials, in part because civilian buildings were as close as 500 metres from the air base and because of previous alleged Iranian plots against Trump in 2024.

The US Secret Service subsequently took extensive precautions. Trump's new Air Force One was replaced by an older aircraft because the newer plane lacked required air defence systems, while his departure was shifted from Ankara Airport to Esenboga Airport, where civilian structures are farther from the airport perimeter.

Trump also reportedly left Turkey aboard a C-32 military aircraft in a covert operation designed to conceal his movements. A catering vehicle was reportedly used to move him from the vicinity of Air Force One to the alternate aircraft while journalists and some White House staff believed he was aboard the presidential plane.

John Hudson of The Washington Post reported that Trump "flew secretly from Turkey on an alternate military aircraft" while journalists and some White House staff members believed they were on the same plane as the president. Hudson also highlighted what he described as the Turkish catering truck moving from Air Force One to the other aircraft.

Turkish officials and insiders, however, questioned the credibility of the Israeli warning. They said Ankara was under a total security lockdown during the summit, making it highly difficult to move missiles and other equipment through the city's extensive roadblocks without detection.

They also argued that Iran had never attempted an operation of such complexity in Turkey.

"Of course, we took the report very seriously and tried to assist our American counterparts as much as possible," a person familiar with the matter said. "Yet it was very clear to us that there was no way this report was true."

Turkish officials believe the warning may have served broader geopolitical objectives, including efforts to undermine Trump's negotiations with Tehran.

At the time, Trump was seeking an agreement with Iran aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was strongly opposed to such an agreement and favoured continued military pressure and sanctions, Turkish officials believe.

Ankara also suspected that the warning was intended to complicate improving US-Turkey ties. Trump had signalled a willingness to ease US sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of Russia's S-400 air defence system and to resume sales of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.

Israel has opposed moves that could strengthen Turkey's military capabilities, particularly where they could affect Israel's longstanding qualitative military edge in the region.

Turkish officials also believe the episode may have been intended to strengthen Israel's image as a key protector of Trump while complicating the US president's increasingly close relationship with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

The allegations could not be independently verified. Israeli officials were not quoted responding to the Turkish suspicions.

"I guess they need heroes for an attack that never happened and, most likely, was never planned," an Ankara insider said.