US President Donald Trump rejected a plan by Israel to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, three US officials have told BBC's US partner CBS News. Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that assassinating Khamenei was not a good idea, according to one official. The president has not commented publicly on the report. The conversation is said to have happened since Israel launched its attack on Iran on Friday. During an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu did not directly confirm or deny a report from Reuters that Trump had vetoed a plan to killed the ayatollah. "There's so many false reports of conversations that never happened and I'm not going to get into that," the Israeli prime minister said. "But I can tell you I think we do what we need to do. We will do what we need to do and I think the United States knows what is good for the United States and I'm just not going to get into it." An Israeli official told CBS News that "in principle," Israel does not "kill political leaders, we are focused on nuclear and military. I don't think anyone making decisions about those programs should be living free and easy." Israel first launched an attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and other targets on Friday. Iran later confirmed the head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence unit, Mohammad Kazemi, had been killed, alongside a deputy and another commander. The two countries have continued to launch massive strikes at each other since, with attacks entering a third day on Sunday. In his latest post on Truth Social about the escalating situation in the Middle East, Trump said "Iran and Israel should make a deal", adding that he would get the two to cease hostilities "just like I got India and Pakistan" - referring to the recent confrontation between the countries. In a separate post on Saturday, the president said the US "had nothing to do with the attack on Iran". "If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," he warned.
Trump told Israel not to kill Iran's supreme leader - report
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Trump Discourages Israeli Plan to Assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
US President Donald Trump has reportedly rejected an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to three US officials who spoke to CBS News. During a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump expressed that such an action was not advisable. This discussion occurred in the context of escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, which intensified after Israel's recent military actions against Iranian nuclear facilities. Although Netanyahu did not confirm or deny the specifics of Trump's comments, he emphasized that Israel would act according to its interests and that discussions around such sensitive topics are often subject to misreporting. He maintained a focus on military objectives rather than political assassinations, stating that Israel prioritizes addressing nuclear threats over targeting political figures.
The ongoing conflict has seen significant developments, including the death of senior Iranian military officials in the latest Israeli strikes, which have continued for several days. Amid these tensions, Trump has used social media to comment on the situation, suggesting that Iran and Israel should negotiate a peace deal, drawing parallels to his past diplomatic efforts between India and Pakistan. He also stated that the US had no involvement in the recent attacks on Iran but warned that any aggression from Iran would provoke a strong response from the United States. This situation highlights the complex dynamics at play in US-Israel-Iran relations, as both countries navigate military actions and diplomatic rhetoric amidst rising tensions in the region.
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