Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly blocked an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during escalating tensions between the two countries, according to three U.S. officials speaking to CBS News.
The conversation allegedly occurred following Israel’s initial attack on Iranian nuclear sites last Friday. Trump is said to have told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that targeting Khamenei was “not a good idea.” While Trump has not publicly commented on the report, it marks a significant moment in U.S.-Israel relations during a volatile period in the Middle East.
During a recent interview with Fox News, Netanyahu did not confirm or deny the report, stating only: 
“There are so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that… We will do what we need to do.”
An unnamed Israeli official told CBS News that Israel typically avoids targeting political figures, saying, “We are focused on nuclear and military. I don’t think anyone making decisions about those programs should be living free and easy.”
Israel launched a strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure last Friday, triggering several days of retaliatory attacks between the two nations. The confrontation continues to escalate, now entering its third day.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that “Iran and Israel should make a deal,” claiming he could broker peace just as he said he did during a past India-Pakistan conflict.
Before departing for the G7 summit in Canada, Trump reiterated U.S. support for Israel but declined to say whether he had urged Israel to halt its offensive. He also denied any U.S. involvement in the attacks on Iran.
“If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump warned on Saturday.
Planned U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, scheduled for Sunday, were canceled, according to Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. Iran reportedly informed Qatari and Omani mediators that it would not consider a ceasefire while still under attack by Israel.
The reported assassination veto by Trump adds a new layer of complexity to the crisis, highlighting the delicate balance between supporting allies and preventing full-scale regional war.
