In a move that has sent ripples through the fraught geopolitics of the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to multiple reports from U.S. officials and international news agencies. This decision, made within the past few days around mid-June 2025, highlights the delicate balance the Trump administration is trying to maintain amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
According to Reuters, which first broke the story, top U.S. officials have been in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts since Israel launched a sweeping military offensive against Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13, 2025. The Israeli strikes, described as “preemptive,” targeted nuclear sites and key military figures in Iran, aiming to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. However, despite having a credible opportunity to eliminate Khamenei, the U.S. president reportedly rejected the plan.
One senior U.S. administration official, speaking anonymously, clarified the rationale behind the veto: “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.” This statement underscores a cautious approach by the U.S. to avoid further inflaming an already volatile situation in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when confronted with the reports during a Fox News interview, neither confirmed nor denied the assassination plot. Instead, he dismissed much of the reporting as "false reports of conversations that never happened," while affirming Israel’s resolve, saying, “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.”
Netanyahu also suggested that regime change in Iran could be a consequence of Israel’s military campaign, telling Fox News, “It could certainly be the result. Because the Iran regime is very weak. I think it’s basically left with two things, its plans to have atomic bombs and ballistic missiles.”
Meanwhile, Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, refused to rule out targeting Khamenei, stating on ABC’s “This Week” that “nobody who’s threatening the destruction of Israel should be off the target list.” However, he refrained from discussing specific individuals publicly, emphasizing the goal of neutralizing Iran’s nuclear and missile threats.
The conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified dramatically in recent days. Following Israel’s initial strikes, Iran responded with hundreds of ballistic missiles and drone attacks targeting Israeli cities and military sites. Iranian media reported at least 128 casualties from Israeli strikes, while human rights organizations estimate over 400 deaths in Iran and hundreds more wounded.
In Israel, the toll includes at least 13 fatalities and more than 370 injuries since Iran began its retaliatory strikes. One particularly devastating missile hit an eight-story residential building in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, leaving at least 35 people missing and rescue workers desperately searching through rubble.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have widened their campaign, reportedly striking residential areas, fuel depots, ministries, and even an Iranian refueling plane at Mashhad airport in northeastern Iran, nearly 1,500 miles from Israel. The IDF declared its intent to achieve air superiority across Iran, a statement reflecting the unprecedented scale of their operations, which extend to multiple arenas thousands of kilometers from Israeli territory.
Reports from Iran indicate significant blows to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including the deaths of Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, the IRGC’s spymaster, his deputy, and possibly Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi, commander of Iran’s air force. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, an IDF spokesman, confirmed that top Iranian military commanders were killed in the opening Israeli strikes.
Amid the escalating violence, President Trump has been urging a diplomatic solution. On his Truth Social platform, he called on Iran and Israel to “make a deal” to end the bloody conflict, referencing his previous interventions that led to peace between other historically hostile nations like Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia. “There is peace, at least for now, because of my intervention, and it will stay that way!” he wrote, expressing optimism for a similar outcome in the Middle East.
However, Trump also issued stern warnings to Tehran, threatening the “full strength and might” of the U.S. armed forces if American assets are attacked. “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,” he posted, signaling a readiness to escalate U.S. involvement if necessary.
Despite his veto of the assassination plan, Trump acknowledged in an ABC News interview that U.S. involvement in the conflict was possible, though not immediate. “We’re not involved in it. It’s possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved,” he said, reflecting the administration’s current stance of cautious engagement.
The international community is closely watching these developments, with world leaders preparing to discuss the Middle East crisis at the upcoming G7 summit in Calgary, Canada. The White House has emphasized its desire to limit Israel’s actions to degrading Iran’s nuclear program and avoid a broader regional war.
Meanwhile, Tehran has warned that it will target U.S., British, and French military bases if they assist Israel, raising fears of a wider conflagration. Five car bombs exploded simultaneously near government buildings in Tehran, which Iranian officials blamed on Israel, though Israel denied involvement. The Iranian regime has also arrested alleged Mossad agents accused of preparing explosives in a safe house near Tehran.
On the ground, the impact of the conflict is stark. Tehran’s streets are reportedly flooded with raw sewage due to damaged infrastructure, and civilians are attempting to flee the city amid gridlocked roads. Russia has evacuated its diplomats from the Iranian capital, citing the escalating violence.
In Israel, intelligence officials accuse Tehran of attempting to plunge the country into darkness through attacks on energy infrastructure, similar to tactics used by Russia in Ukraine. Israel’s largest oil refinery in Haifa has sustained confirmed damage from these strikes.
The situation remains fluid and highly dangerous. Both Israel and Iran continue to exchange missile strikes, and the risk of the conflict spreading beyond these two nations looms large. As the world watches, the Trump administration’s decision to veto the assassination plan reflects a complex calculus aimed at preventing an even greater catastrophe while navigating an already explosive regional crisis.
