In a dramatic twist amid the rising military conflict between Israel and Iran, former US President Donald Trump reportedly blocked a proposal by Israeli officials to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, questioning whether such a move was warranted at that point in the conflict.

According to a report by Reuters, citing two senior US officials, Israel had notified Washington during Operation Rising Lion — its most aggressive campaign yet targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure — that it had a time-sensitive opportunity to eliminate Khamenei.

However, Trump reportedly dismissed the idea, asking his aides a pointed question:
“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No.”

Trump’s Red Line: No Assassination Without American Casualties

The officials stated that Trump made it clear the US would not support such a drastic escalation unless there was a direct attack on American personnel.

“Until they do [kill an American], we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership,” a US official quoted Trump as saying.

Though it remains unclear whether Trump personally conveyed this stance to the Israeli leadership, multiple officials confirmed that he was in regular contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the days following Israel’s strikes.

Netanyahu Stays Vague Amid Escalation

When asked about the revelation during an appearance on Fox News, Netanyahu neither confirmed nor denied the report.

“There’s so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that,” he said, while adding, “We’ll do what we need to do.”

This vague response has further fuelled speculation about the level of coordination and disagreement between the US and Israel regarding escalation thresholds in the current conflict.

Operation Rising Lion and Its Fallout

Operation Rising Lion, initiated by Israel last week, targeted critical Iranian nuclear and military sites. Israeli forces carried out a series of strikes which Iranian officials have called “unprecedented provocations,” prompting mass retaliatory barrages.

The offensive is reported to have killed hundreds of Iranians and at least dozens of Israeli personnel, sparking international alarm and significantly raising the stakes in the already volatile Middle East.

Iranian officials have promised “severe consequences”, while sporadic missile exchanges have disrupted civilian life in border regions.

Trump’s Strategy: Diplomacy Over Decapitation

Trump’s reluctance to greenlight the assassination is seen by analysts as strategic rather than ideological. At the time, Trump was said to be preparing for renewed nuclear talks with Iran, with the US-Iran negotiations in Oman already on the schedule.

However, in the wake of Israel’s attack and the fast-spreading regional instability, those talks have now been abruptly cancelled.

“The last thing Trump wanted was an uncontainable war before talks even began,” said one Middle East policy expert. “Killing Khamenei would have ensured that.”

This aligns with Trump’s earlier self-styled “peacemaker” image, as seen in his comments referencing India and Pakistan in 2020, and recent statements suggesting he could broker peace between Israel and Iran.

G7 Leaders Scramble to Contain Crisis

The G7 Summit, currently underway in Canada, has shifted its focus toward the escalating Iran-Israel conflict. Western leaders, already burdened with Ukraine, climate goals, and economic issues, are now engaged in backdoor diplomacy to prevent a full-scale war in West Asia.

President Joe Biden, while refraining from direct comment on Trump’s decision, is said to be closely monitoring the situation. French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have both called for restraint and de-escalation, urging UN intervention.

Meanwhile, China and Russia, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, have condemned Israel’s strikes, accusing it of aggression and regional destabilisation.

A Dangerous Precedent and Unanswered Questions

While assassination plots have long been a part of geopolitical chess, the revelation of a near-attempt on a head of state — particularly someone as central as Ayatollah Khamenei — has shocked even seasoned observers.

“The fact that it was seriously discussed, and vetoed only on a technicality — that no Americans had been killed — raises chilling questions about modern statecraft,” said a former US diplomat.

There is also the broader question of whether Israel will act unilaterally if it feels Washington is restraining its hand, or whether it will coordinate its next steps more carefully.

Conclusion: Diplomacy Hanging by a Thread

The Israel-Iran confrontation is now on a knife’s edge, and Trump’s intervention, while delaying further escalation, has not solved the underlying crisis.

As nuclear negotiations collapse, casualties mount, and world leaders react, the Middle East once again finds itself at the epicentre of global instability — and what comes next may depend not just on military might, but on the diplomatic choices of a few key players.

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