News Desk : President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to US officials.

The decision comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, with ongoing military strikes threatening to spiral into a broader regional conflict.

"We found out that the Israelis had plans to hit Iran`s supreme leader. President Trump was against it and we told the Israelis not to," said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The officials revealed that Israel informed the Trump administration of an operational opportunity to kill Khamenei in recent days. However, Trump opposed the move, with one senior official stating, “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.”

The White House communicated its stance to Israeli counterparts, and the plan was not executed.

Axios reporter Barak Ravid corroborated the report, citing sources who confirmed Trump’s intervention to halt the assassination plot.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when questioned about the report during a Sunday interview on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier, dismissed it as one of “so many false reports of conversations that never happened.”

He added, “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 veto follows Israel’s large-scale military operation against Iran, aimed at disrupting Tehran’s nuclear programme.

US officials have maintained constant communication with Israel since the assault began, seeking to prevent further escalation.

Trump, who has expressed hope for renewed US-Iran nuclear negotiations, told Reuters on Friday that Washington was fully aware of Israel’s strikes.

However, scheduled talks in Oman were cancelled due to the ongoing conflict.

Trump has publicly urged both nations to “make a deal,” predicting that Israel and Iran could soon resolve their differences diplomatically.

Meanwhile, Iran has vowed a “harsh response” to Israel’s attacks, which have killed top military officials and nuclear scientists.

Source: AFP, New York Post, Axios, Fox News