Intelligence assessment warns of Iranian attacks on US following Khamenei’s death
By Jana Winter
WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) – Iran and its proxies may target the United States with attacks in response to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by Israeli and U.S. strikes on Saturday, according to a U.S. intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters.
The threat assessment, prepared Feb. 28 by the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis, said Iran and its proxies “likely” pose a targeted attack threat to the United States, but said a large-scale physical attack was unlikely.
The main concern in the short term is that Iran-linked “hacktivists” will carry out low-level cyberattacks on US networks, such as website defacement and distributed denial-of-service attacks, the report said.
“Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its proxies likely pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actions or calls for action if reports of the Ayatollah’s death are confirmed,” the DHS report reviewed by Reuters said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement in response to a request for comment: “I am coordinating directly with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and disrupt any potential threats to our homeland.”
Iran confirmed on Sunday reports that Khamenei was killed in Saturday’s attack, which was first announced by Israel and US President Donald Trump.
Iran will likely continue attacks against U.S. and allied targets in the Middle East and will almost certainly blame senior U.S. government officials for any protests that begin over Trump’s call for regime change, the DHS assessment said.
The air war against Iran launched by the United States and Israel on Saturday widened on Monday as Israel attacked Lebanon in response to attacks by Hezbollah and Tehran continued missile and drone attacks on Gulf states that host US military bases.
On Monday, authorities investigating a shooting that killed at least two people at a bar in Austin, Texas, on Sunday said it was too early to tell whether the gunman was motivated by the war in Iran.
The body of the gunman killed by police was seen in a photo taken by Reuters wearing a shirt with the Iranian flag on it and the word “IRAN” written in green, white and red letters on the front. He also wore a sweatshirt that said “Property of God” on it, a US law enforcement official told Reuters.
(Reporting by Jana Winter and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Don Durfee and Christian Schmollinger)
