- Israel’s Shin Bet confirmed it urgently evacuated Yair Netanyahu from the United States following a significant threat to his life
- US broadcaster Newsmax had earlier reported that Yair was allegedly targeted in an Iranian assassination plot in December while living in Florida
- Benjamin Netanyahu publicly confirmed Iran tried to kill one of his sons before the Shin Bet issued its official statement
Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, the Shin Bet, has confirmed that Yair Netanyahu, the eldest son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was urgently flown out of the United States and returned to Israel after a credible threat was made against his life.
The Shin Bet said in a statement on August 29 that “there was a significant threat to harm Yair Netanyahu, and in light of this and after an assessment, a decision was made to urgently evacuate him along with his security team and return him to Israel.”
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The agency did not name the source of the threat.
Iranian plot alleged
According to Al Jazeera, the evacuation followed a report by US broadcaster Newsmax earlier in the week, which said Yair Netanyahu had been the target of an alleged Iranian assassination plot last December while living in Florida. Citing a US law enforcement official, Newsmax said Israeli intelligence had discovered the alleged plot and subsequently informed American authorities.
The report came after Prime Minister Netanyahu told Israel’s Channel 14 that Iran had attempted to kill one of his sons. “Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to kill, to murder one of my sons,” he said.
According to Newsmax, Yair was ordered to leave immediately and departed without collecting his personal belongings, returning directly to Israel with his security detail.
A controversial figure at home
Yair Netanyahu had been living in Florida for several years before the evacuation. His time in the United States was a subject of ongoing controversy in Israel, particularly after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. Many Israelis criticised his continued stay abroad while hundreds of thousands of military reservists were being called up to serve.
The Times of Israel noted that his reportedly lavish lifestyle and the cost of his state-funded security had repeatedly drawn public scrutiny.
Despite living outside the country, Yair remained an active voice in Israeli public life through social media, where he regularly commented on domestic politics and directed criticism at his father’s opponents, government critics, and journalists.
Netanyahu’s son changes his name
Legit.ng earlier reported that Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has changed his legal name to Yonatan Hon, according to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz published in July, 2026.
The name change came to light through tax-withholding documents. Records from December 2024 still carried the name Yair Netanyahu, but the same identifying details appeared under the new name, Yonatan Hon, in 2025. The documents also listed a fictional address described as “Balfour 0”.
Source: Legit.ng