Russia Gave Iran Intel to Target US Forces
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- Russia provided Iran with intelligence on American warships, aircraft and other regional assets, according to two US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity — though the intelligence has not uncovered Moscow directing Tehran on how to use it.
- The sharing marks the first indication Moscow has sought involvement in the week-old US-Israel war on Iran, and comes as Russia has deepened its reliance on Iranian missiles and drones for its four-year Ukraine war.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the reports Friday, telling reporters: "it clearly is not making any difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them."
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tehran has not requested military assistance from Russia, but refused to confirm or deny any intelligence or military support provided since the Iran war's start.
- The Biden administration previously declassified intelligence showing Iran supplies attack drones to Russia and helped build a drone-manufacturing factory there, and accused Iran of transferring short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow.
- Leavitt declined to say whether Trump has spoken to Putin about the reports but said the president "would say that peace is still an achievable objective with respect to the Russia-Ukraine war."
Why it matters: The report — first surfaced by the Washington Post — would mark Moscow's first direct effort to get involved in the week-old US-Israel war on Iran. The White House's dismissive framing ("completely decimating them") suggests the Trump administration doesn't want the revelation to complicate its parallel peace courtship of Putin over Ukraine.
