Monday, March 2, 2026-U.S. intelligence did not find evidence that Iran was preparing a preemptive attack on the United States before the recent coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, according to administration officials who briefed congressional staff in private meetings.
The officials told lawmakers that while Iran’s missiles and proxy forces posed a general regional threat, there was no specific, imminent plot against U.S. forces or territory that justified claims of a preemptive risk, contrasting with public statements by President Trump about imminent danger.
In the same briefings, officials acknowledged that much of the intelligence shared with Israel focused on tracking senior Iranian leadership movements, enabling closely timed strikes that reportedly hit multiple high-value targets in Iran. However, that surveillance did not show a direct plan by Tehran to attack the U.S. first.
The revelation has sparked debate in Washington about the administration’s justification for the offensive. Critics argue the lack of clear evidence for a preemptive Iranian threat raises questions about the rationale for launching the strikes and underscores broader uncertainty about strategy and objectives in the expanding conflict.
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