New Delhi: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that the most effective way to bring an end to the conflict with Iran is to take out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a day after US officials confirmed President Donald Trump vetoed Israeli plans for such an operation. Netanyahu’s comments come as the conflict between Israel and Iran enters its fourth day, with both countries exchanging missile strikes and targeting civilian areas.
Netanyahu believes that taking out the Ayatollah would end the conflict, not escalate it. He emphasized that Israel’s actions are aimed at preventing Iran’s aggression and standing up to the forces of evil.
“It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” Netanyahu told ABC News in an interview when asked about reports that US President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader out of concern it would intensify the Iran-Israel showdown.
“The ‘forever war’ is what Iran wants, and they’re bringing us to the brink of a nuclear war,” Mr Netanyahu said, adding that “In fact, what Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression, and we can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil,” he added.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his family have reportedly been relocated to a secure bunker as a precautionary measure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is shielding him, and he remains safe, overseeing developments and issuing orders to the military.
US President Donald Trump reportedly vetoed Israel’s plan to assassinate the Ayatollah, citing concerns it would intensify the conflict.
Senior US officials confirmed Trump’s decision, with one official stating, “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.”
Netanyahu neither confirmed nor denied the report, saying, “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”.