Iran Could Direct Proxies to Attack U.S. Targets Abroad, Officials Warn

NYT Homepage
by Eric Schmitt
February 22, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Security officials are growing increasingly concerned that Iran may use proxy groups to launch retaliatory attacks against U.S. targets in Europe, the Middle East, and other regions if President Trump authorizes large-scale military strikes against Iran. While no specific plots have been identified, intelligence agencies are detecting heightened "chatter"—a term used to describe intercepted communications between terrorists—suggesting some level of planning or coordination among potential attackers. Iran is believed to be considering various
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Originally published on NYT Homepage on 2/22/2026