US says Trump vetoed Israeli strike on Khamenei
This comes as Israel and Iran pushed their conflict into its fourth day


What happened
Iranian missiles struck the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa Monday morning after Israel bombarded Tehran, pushing the escalating fight between the longtime regional foes into a fourth day. Israeli strikes have killed at least 10 Iranian generals and several nuclear scientists. But President Donald Trump stopped Israel from assassinating Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, U.S. officials told The Associated Press and Reuters on Sunday. Iran said Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people since Friday while Israel put its death toll at 24.
Who said what
Israel told the U.S. it had a credible shot at killing Khamenei, "but Trump waved them off of the plan," Reuters said. "Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No," a senior U.S. official told the news service. "Until they do, we're not even talking about going after the political leadership." The White House has been "desperate to keep Israel's military operation" from "exploding into an even more expansive conflict," the AP said.
Israeli officials called the Khamenei report "fake news" and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News there were "a lot of false reports about conversations that didn't take place." But "we'll do what we need to do," he told anchor Bret Baier, and regime change "could certainly be the result" of the conflict because Iran's government "is very weak."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
"I hope there is going to be a deal" between Israel and Iran, Trump told reporters before departing yesterday evening for a G7 summit in Canada, "and we'll see what happens, but sometimes they have to fight it out." Iran told mediators in Qatar and Oman they "will not negotiate while under attack," an official told Reuters.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
July 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an extrajudicial detainment camp, 'alligator Alcatraz', and tax cuts for billionaires.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
The armed clan allied with Israel in Gaza
Under the Radar Self-styled 'Popular Forces' has been denounced by its Bedouin tribe and Hamas for 'collaborating' with Israel
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
How developed was Iran's nuclear program and what's left now?
Today's Big Question Israel and the United States have said different things about Iran's capabilities
-
Trump gives himself 2 weeks for Iran decision
Speed Read Trump said he believes negotiations will occur in the near future
-
What would a US strike on Iran mean for the Middle East?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION A precise attack could break Iran's nuclear programme – or pull the US and its allies into a drawn-out war even more damaging than Iraq or Afghanistan
-
After Israel's brazen Iran attack, what's next for the region and the world?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Following decades of saber-rattling, Israel's aerial assault on Iranian military targets has pushed the Middle East to the brink of all-out war