In a dramatic revelation amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, President Donald Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to two U.S. officials cited by Reuters. The officials said Trump’s decision was based on the fact that, at the time, no Americans had been killed as a result of recent Iranian actions.
“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No,” a senior U.S. administration official reportedly stated. “Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.”
The New York Post continues:
Israel reported that they had an opportunity to kill Iran’s top leader, but Trump persuaded Israeli officials not to go through with it, the two unidentified officials told Reuters.
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Axios reporter Barak Ravid said Sunday that his sources also confirmed that Trump nixed an Israeli plan to kill the Islamic Republic’s leader.
US officials have been in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts since Israel launched a massive attack on Iran in a bid to end Tehran’s nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined comment on the assassination report in a Sunday interview with Fox News’ “Special Report With Bret Baier.”
“There’s so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that,” Netanyahu said. “But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we’ll do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”
The disclosure comes as Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s aggressive military campaign targeting Iranian nuclear sites and senior military figures, has dramatically escalated hostilities in the region. According to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, the strikes have resulted in at least 406 deaths and 654 injuries. In response, Iran launched missile attacks on Israel, inflicting additional casualties and structural damage.
Despite the ongoing violence, President Trump has expressed optimism about the prospects for peace. In a Truth Social post, he suggested that the conflict might ironically accelerate a diplomatic resolution. He also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may take on a mediation role, following what Trump described as an hourlong birthday phone call between the two leaders.
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Why?