June 16, World (LNW): Amid the rapidly escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, it has emerged that former United States President Donald Trump reportedly turned down a proposal from Israeli leadership to target Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to individuals familiar with the matter.
BBC citing its American wing CBS indicated that the proposal was floated during confidential discussions held after Israel initiated air strikes on Iranian territory.
President Trump is said to have advised against the action, reportedly telling then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that carrying out such an assassination would be unwise and risk catastrophic fallout.
Despite the sensitive nature of the claim, Trump has not issued any public statements addressing the report.
When questioned about the matter during a televised appearance, Netanyahu declined to confirm or deny whether such a conversation with Trump had taken place. Instead, he dismissed reports about private discussions as often inaccurate, choosing to focus instead on broader strategic goals.
He reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to act decisively in its national interest, while offering no specific insight into the alleged plan.
A senior Israeli official, when approached for comment by international media, said Israel traditionally avoids targeting political heads of state. “Our strategic focus remains on dismantling military threats and curbing nuclear ambitions,” the official said. “Those making decisions in those areas should not be under any illusion of safety.”
Military operations between Israel and Iran have now entered their third consecutive day, with both sides launching strikes across strategic and urban locations. The cycle of aggression has left hundreds dead and injured, heightening fears that the confrontation could spiral into a broader regional conflict.
In an online statement released via his platform Truth Social, Trump urged both nations to reach a diplomatic solution, suggesting he could mediate an agreement as he claims to have done between India and Pakistan. “Iran and Israel should make a deal,” he posted, drawing parallels to previous tensions in South Asia that de-escalated during his term in office.
During remarks made prior to his departure for a G7 summit in Canada, Trump reiterated America’s commitment to supporting Israel, but declined to elaborate on whether he had requested a halt to Israeli air strikes.
He also maintained that the United States was not involved in Israel’s military actions against Iran, distancing Washington from the operation.
Simultaneously, efforts to revive nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran appear to have stalled. Talks scheduled to take place over the weekend were abruptly cancelled, according to Oman’s foreign ministry, which had been mediating discussions.
Iran reportedly informed its regional interlocutors that it had no intention of engaging in diplomacy while facing continued bombardment from Israel.
Tensions have further intensified following Trump’s statement on Saturday, in which he warned Tehran against retaliating against US interests. “Should Iran attack us in any form, the response will be swift and of a magnitude never before seen,” he declared.
