Iran operatives were 'on the ground' to target Yair Netanyahu in Florida, Newsmax reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s eldest son, Yair Netanyahu, was reportedly the subject of an Iranian assassination plot while he was living in South Florida, according to a U.S. law enforcement source cited by Newsmax.

Netanyahu disclosed the existence of the plot Monday in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 but did not specify which of his two sons, Yair or Avner, had been the alleged targeted.

The U.S. source said Israeli intelligence discovered the alleged Iranian plan last December and informed American authorities. Iranian operatives were reportedly already "on the ground" in the Miami area and had carried out surveillance of Yair’s home and movements.

Yair, who is protected by an Israeli security detail, subsequently left Florida and returned to Israel, where he still lives.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that details of the alleged assassination attempt had been known to certain media organizations for months, but their publication had been prohibited under military censorship.

Security for Netanyahu’s family

Netanyahu disclosed the alleged assassination attempt while defending extensive government security for his family, as information that Gadi Eizenkot, former army commander and his rival for the upcoming elections, was not assigned protection by the Shin Bet.

In July, Israel had extended Shin Bet protection for Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, and sons Yair and Avner. The sons are expected to receive protection for five years even if Netanyahu leaves office.

Yair Netanyahu had officially changed his name to "Yonatan Hun" around a year and a half ago, according to a report published by the Israeli daily Haaretz.

The alleged Florida operation comes amid a broader pattern of Iranian threats and assassination plots targeting Israeli and American officials and their families, notably as revenge for the January 2020 U.S. killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. In 2024, federal prosecutors charged Iranian asset Farhad Shakeri and said the IRGC had tasked him with developing a plan to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump.

The latter was the target of a presumed threat against his aircraft in early July, as he was departing Ankara after a NATO summit.

The alleged Iranian threats have increasingly extended to Trump’s family. This week, Iranian state television broadcast a video targeting 20-year-old Barron Trump.

Yair Netanyahu has become a frequent source of controversy in recent years. His extended stay in Florida since late 2023, while hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists were mobilized following the outbreak of the war in Gaza, drew criticism from reservists and opponents who questioned why he was not serving.