Archives: Israeli Intelligence Told U.S. That Hezbollah Co-Directed 9/11

Paper files held by the Washington State Archives reference an Israeli intelligence report reviewed by the U.S. government following the 9/11 attacks 25 years ago.

The records have never been published before and were digitized by HardPressed.

An October 8, 2001, Washington State National Guard intelligence report states that, “Israel's military intelligence service (Aman) suspects the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were directed by two masterminds. The Lebanese Imad Mughniyeh, head of the special overseas operations for Hizbullah, and the Egyption [sic] Dr. Ayman Al Zawahiri, senior member of al Qeada [sic] and possible successor of the ailing Osama bin Laden."

According to the Israelis, the attacks were "sponsored by Iraq and bin Laden.”

Ten years later, federal court filings in Manhattan also put forward the accusation that Hezbollah's Mugniyah was involved in 9/11, using anonymous Iranian defectors as the sole source of information. By this time, the CIA and Mossad had already used a car bomb to kill Mugniyah in Damascus.

Mugniyah was also accused of planning the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut. Investigative reporter Gordon Thomas reported in the book Gideon's Spies, that the Mossad had detailed foreknowledge of the 1983 attack on the barracks, chose not to report it to the CIA, and even monitored the attack as it happened, killing 241 Americans.

We since know that Iraq and Hezbollah had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.

In their "intelligence," the Israelis omitted a prime suspect, and so far 25 years later, the FBI has too.

Almost all the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals, and ProPublica has reported that a Saudi intelligence agent was involved in supporting two of the hijackers in San Diego. FBI Headquarters later quashed a full investigation into the Saudi connection and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia never faced a U.S. military invasion.

Correction 9/18/2026: The 1983 attack referenced was on the U.S. Marine Corps barracks at the Beirut International Airport, not the U.S. Embassy. This report was updated for accuracy.