President Trump shut down a request from Israel to assassinate the top leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
As reported by Reuters, Israel was prepared to strike before Trump vetoed the plan over worries about a widening conflict.
Trump shuts down Israeli plan
Trump’s intervention stopped what would have been a dramatic escalation in an Israeli campaign targeting Iran’s regime.
Israel’s strikes began early Friday as a surprise attack on Iran’s nuclear program that eliminated scientists and top military officials.
But Israel has hinted the strikes could expand and result in regime change, a goal long sought by hawks in the GOP.
“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership,” an official told Reuters.
Netanyahu reacts
In a Fox News interview Sunday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dodged questions about the plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader.
“But I can tell you, I think that 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 said.
An end to the theocratic regime in Tehran “could certainly be the result” of the conflict “because the Iranian regime is very weak,” he added.
Trump says U.S. role “possible”
Netanyahu’s goals have created tension with the White House, while driving a divide within Trump’s MAGA movement.
On one side are “America First” populists who argue that Trump must keep the U.S. out of a potentially disastrous conflict, while hawkish Republicans have said Israel is confronting a common threat to the U.S. by targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump has said the U.S. was not involved in the strikes, which came despite his diplomatic efforts to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has faced criticism from some on the right, such as Tucker Carlson, who suggested Trump is abandoning his “America First” base with his handling of the situation.
The president, who has long taken pride in being a peacemaker, has continued to call for de-escalation, but he has not ruled out the possibility of the U.S. getting involved in the conflict in the future.
“We’re not involved in it. It’s possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday.
“Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Sunday, adding, “We will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran.”
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Author: Matthew Boose
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