A dramatic turn of events unfolded as US officials revealed that Donald Trump, the US President, rejected Israel’s plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This rejection came amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, with no end in sight.
According to CNN, a senior US official disclosed that over the weekend, Israel had the opportunity to carry out the assassination, but the US advised against it, citing Trump’s opposition to the plan. The President’s concern was that such an action would lead to a new war in the Middle East, which he sought to avoid.
In an interview with Fox News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sidestepped the issue, stating, “There are many reports about conversations that never happened, and I won’t comment on that.” However, his spokesperson vehemently denied the reports, telling CNN that the claim about Trump rejecting the assassination plan was “not true.”
Despite this, CNN reported that Israel had discussed with the US the possibility of increased American involvement in the conflict with Iran. An Israeli official noted that these discussions were still in the early stages and lacked concrete details.
While Trump seemed hesitant to let the conflict between Israel and Iran drag on, potentially destabilizing the Middle East, some members of his administration acknowledged that US military assistance could help Israel achieve its goals more quickly.
When asked about the situation, Trump told ABC News on Sunday, “We’re not involved, but there’s a possibility we could be. We’re not doing it now.”
For more information, visit CNN.