Free Trial

NYT: US Intelligence Suggests Iran Surprised By Hamas Attack On Israel

SECURITY

The New York Times has reportedthat, according to "several American officials," intelligence shows, "key Iranian leaders were surprised by the Hamas attack in Israel."

  • NYT: "While they would not identify the Iranian officials who expressed surprise at the attack, the U.S. officials said they were people who typically would be aware of operations involving the Quds Force, the Iranian government's paramilitary arm that supports and works with proxy forces."
  • Intelligence that points towards Hamas as the exclusive planner of the attack would significantly lower the risk of the war expanding to include regional powers like Iran or Iranian-backed Hezbollah based in Lebanon.
  • White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters yesterday that the United States doesn’t yet have “specific information that ties Iran” to the attacks but is “looking to acquire further intelligence.”
  • Iran is not likely to escape retaliatory measures entirely, even if the intelligence is substantiated, with US officials coalescing around a message that, "Iran is complicit in this attack in a broad sense," due to their role in providing Hamas the weapons base and operational expertise to carry out the attack.
  • On the prospect of new sanctions against Iran, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters yesterday: “We will continue to take actions to hold Iran accountable. But I wouldn’t want to preview from here what those might look like.”

To read the full story

Close

Why MNI

MNI is the leading provider

of intelligence and analysis on the Global Fixed Income, Foreign Exchange and Energy markets. We use an innovative combination of real-time analysis, deep fundamental research and journalism to provide unique and actionable insights for traders and investors. Our "All signal, no noise" approach drives an intelligence service that is succinct and timely, which is highly regarded by our time constrained client base.

Our Head Office is in London with offices in Chicago, Washington and Beijing, as well as an on the ground presence in other major financial centres across the world.