US President Donald Trump reportedly intervened to block an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a report by Reuters. Citing US officials, the report claims that the assassination plot was foiled in recent days.
A senior US administration official, when asked about the situation, noted that Iran had not killed any Americans, adding that discussions about targeting political leadership would not occur unless that happened. US officials have reportedly been in constant contact with Israeli counterparts ever since Israel began its strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Israeli leadership had reportedly proposed that the ongoing conflict presented an opportunity to eliminate Khamenei. However, Trump strongly pushed back against the idea, a US official told the media.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with Fox News, dismissed reports circulating in the international media. “There are reports that things have happened that never happened, and I don’t want to talk about them,” he said. He added, “We will do everything that Israel can do. We think that America knows what is good for America.”
Trump, who previously acknowledged he was aware that Israel would strike Iran, has consistently denied any US involvement in the attacks. He has reiterated that he hopes Iran will engage in dialogue with the United States to halt its nuclear ambitions.
However, the planned Iran-US talks in Muscat, scheduled for yesterday, were cancelled. Trump warned that if Iran were to attack the United States, the retaliation would be unprecedented. Despite rising tensions, Trump also reiterated his commitment to peace, stating that negotiations are continuing behind the scenes and that both Iran and Israel need to come to an agreement.
