Trump Vetoed Israeli Plan to Kill Iran’s Supreme Leader

President Donald Trump torpedoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Following their targeted strikes seeking to eliminate Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities last week, Israel told Trump they had a “credible” opportunity to kill the ayatollah, but Trump waved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu off the plan during a conversation between the two leaders, multiple outlets reported Sunday, citing U.S. officials.

The Trump administration has relied on diplomatic means to end the conflict between Israel and Iran as opposed to swift military intervention favored by lawmakers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), or tactics such as assassinating Khamenei, which the White House fears could further escalate the conflict and destabilize the region.

On Sunday, Trump revealed that negotiations to end the war between Israel and Iran are underway, promising that a peace deal is coming “soon.”

“We will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!” Trump said in a post to Truth Social hours after the president promised “he can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict.”

The conflict is likely to be a matter of debate as the United States joins G7 partners this week in Canada for a conference on global economic and geopolitical issues.

During a Fox News interview with Bret Baier on Sunday, Netanyahu said Iran viewed Trump as “enemy No. 1,” noting an Iranian plot to assassinate the president before he won reelection last year.

When pressed on whether Trump had advised Israel not to kill Iran’s leader, Netanyahu deflected.

“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.”