Israel nearly took a swing at Iran’s supreme leader, but it was Donald Trump who told them to stand down.
According to a New York Post report, Israeli officials had identified a real-time opportunity to assassinate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but were talked out of the strike by then-President Trump.
Two officials who spoke to Reuters confirmed the U.S. message was clear: don’t target political leadership unless American blood had been spilled. “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No,” one official said. “Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.”
The revelation was echoed by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, who cited sources confirming Trump personally nixed the high-stakes operation. The move appears to have prevented an even deeper spiral in an already volatile standoff between Israel and Iran.
Washington and Jerusalem have kept tight lines of communication since Israel launched an aggressive assault on Iran aimed at dismantling its nuclear capabilities. But the idea of toppling Iran’s supreme leader evidently crossed a line Trump wasn't willing to let Israel step over—at least not yet.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deflected when asked about the plan during a Sunday interview on Fox News. “So many false reports… I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “We’ll do what we need to do. The United States knows what is good for the United States.”
Hostilities intensified after Iran blamed Israel for five car bombs in Tehran near government buildings. Israel responded with a bold long-range strike, hitting an Iranian refueling aircraft in Mashhad, nearly 1,400 miles away—a distance that sends a message on its own.
Tehran responded with its own barrage, launching ballistic missiles that landed in Israel’s north and south, injuring six. One of the rockets sparked a major fire in Haifa, wounding two civilians with shrapnel.
So far, the violence has claimed the lives of at least 13 Israelis, while Iran reports over 400 dead and hundreds more injured, according to human rights groups. Iran’s citizens, without the shelter infrastructure available to Israelis, are fleeing cities like Tehran en masse in chaotic traffic jams captured on social media.
The Israeli Defense Forces, backed by U.S. military support, continue intercepting waves of Iranian drones and missiles. Their missile defense systems have operated continuously through the weekend, intercepting much of the incoming fire.
In contrast to Iran’s limited civilian protection, Israel’s population has access to public bomb shelters—a reminder of who’s prepared and who isn’t. While the IDF has issued evacuation advisories for Tehran’s population, reports suggest civilians are left to their own devices.
Still, Israel’s defense establishment declared the conflict has reached “the point of no return.” That’s strong language for a country that just narrowly avoided triggering a region-wide firestorm by taking out Khamenei.
Trump, however, remains optimistic that a deal will materialize. On Truth Social, he invoked his past diplomatic efforts between India and Pakistan, claiming he used trade leverage to force a resolution.
“Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal,” he wrote, adding that “PEACE” was imminent thanks to “many calls and meetings now taking place.”
In typical fashion, Trump credited himself for backchannel efforts to cool tensions. “I do a lot, and never get credit… but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand,” he added. His pitch? Make the Middle East great again. Time will tell whether anyone else buys in.
