Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington was carried out under an unprecedented veil of secrecy after Israeli security officials warned of an increased Iranian effort to target senior Israeli leaders, according to a report Tuesday evening.

Channel 12 News reported that top government officials, including several cabinet ministers, were briefed on intelligence indicating that Tehran has intensified attempts to strike high-ranking Israeli officials in what it views as an opportunity to achieve a strategic victory.

In response to the growing threat, Israel’s security establishment reportedly alerted the political leadership to the heightened danger, while the Shin Bet significantly increased security around a number of senior Israeli officials. Security authorities also recommended that Netanyahu’s departure for Washington be conducted in complete secrecy.

Instead of departing from Ben Gurion Airport, Netanyahu’s official aircraft, Wing of Zion, took off from Nevatim Airbase. Journalists were not permitted to accompany the prime minister on the flight, and both the departure time and the expected arrival time in Washington were withheld from the public for security reasons.

The prime minister’s visit to the U.S. had been planned in advance under unusually strict security and media restrictions. Netanyahu’s office announced that he was traveling to Washington at the invitation of President Donald Trump, but officials deliberately kept the flight schedule confidential, citing security concerns.

The heightened secrecy extended to Netanyahu’s White House meeting with President Trump. The meeting was initially scheduled to be closed to the media, although a source close to the prime minister later indicated that those plans could change.

According to the source, Netanyahu would prefer that the meeting be photographed and documented publicly, allowing the close relationship between the two leaders to be reflected not only diplomatically but also visually.

{Matzav.com}