Former US President Donald Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to two US officials cited by international news agencies. The revelation comes at a time of heightened hostilities between Iran and Israel, with the threat of wider regional conflict looming.
One senior Trump administration official was quoted saying, “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.” This statement reflects the administration’s red line on retaliatory actions: no direct targeting of Iran’s political leadership without American casualties. When asked to comment on the report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to confirm or deny the information. “I’m not going to get into that,” he told reporters.
However, in a separate televised interview with Fox News, Netanyahu suggested that regime change in Iran could be a long-term consequence of Israel’s ongoing military offensive, which began on Friday. He confirmed that Trump had been notified in advance of the military operations.
While the conflict continues to escalate, Trump has taken a mixed approach in his public messaging. On his platform, Truth Social, he issued a severe warning to Iran, declaring that any attack on U.S. personnel or interests would be met with overwhelming military retaliation. “If we are attacked in any way, shape, or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US armed forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump posted.
This warning followed reports that Tehran had threatened to strike US, British, and French military bases and naval assets in the region if they intervened in Iran’s strikes on Israeli targets, Reuters noted. Despite the threats, Trump reiterated his preference for diplomacy, stating that a deal between Iran and Israel was possible and urgently needed to stop the violence.
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“We can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel and end this bloody conflict,” he said, appealing to both sides to return to negotiations. He also reflected on what he described as underappreciated diplomatic successes during his presidency, including mediating peace efforts between Serbia and Kosovo, and diffusing tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia over Nile River disputes.
In parallel diplomatic developments, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with Trump on Sunday, offering Turkey’s help as a neutral mediator in the deepening crisis. Erdoğan expressed Ankara’s willingness to help resolve the nuclear dispute that continues to fuel the hostilities between Iran and Israel. On the ground, however, violence shows no signs of abating. Israel launched a third consecutive day of airstrikes inside Iran, with several missiles reportedly bypassing Iranian air defense systems and hitting densely populated urban areas.
According to Washington-based NGO Human Rights Activists, the ongoing Israeli air campaign has resulted in at least 406 deaths and 654 injuries so far. These figures have not been confirmed by Iranian authorities, who have yet to release official casualty statistics. Diplomatic talks that were previously scheduled to address the growing crisis and Iran’s nuclear program have been canceled due to the intensifying conflict. With both sides hardening their positions and military actions escalating, the prospect of a broader regional war remains dangerously real.
Also Read: Trump says Israel-Iran deal likely, cites India-Pak mediation
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