Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that a potential operation targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader would "end the conflict" rather than escalate it, framing the strategy as a path to resolution rather than provocation.
Speaking to ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl in an exclusive interview, Netanyahu commented on reports that Israel had considered a plan to strike Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. U.S. officials told Reuters that President Donald Trump had rejected the proposal, citing concerns it could intensify the conflict.
Netanyahu disagreed. "It's not going to escalate the conflict. It's going to end the conflict," he said.
Earlier in the interview, the Israeli leader criticised previous diplomatic efforts with Iran, claiming they were undermined by Tehran’s continued hostility.
"We gave it a chance. We clenched our teeth," Netanyahu said.
"But even during negotiations with the United States, Iran's supreme leader tweeted 'death to Israel' almost every day. The talks were merely a facade."
When asked directly whether Israel was planning to target Khamenei, Netanyahu declined to confirm details.
"Look, we're doing what we need to do. I'm not going to get into the details."
The interview comes in the wake of Israel’s 13 June operation, which reportedly targeted senior Iranian military figures and nuclear infrastructure. Iran responded with a series of missile attacks, marking one of the most intense escalations between the two countries in years.
The U.S. administration has called for restraint while reaffirming its support for Israel’s security. Trump’s decision to block the reported operation against Khamenei reflects an effort to prevent broader regional destabilisation.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told four European counterparts that Iran was serious about diplomacy but its current focus was on confronting aggression, Iranian state media reported. Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press Trump to use his influence on Netanyahu to push for an immediate ceasefire.
In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources.
Tehran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed since Friday (13 June), most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed, all of them civilians.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by a Lebanon-related provision in an emerging agreement with Iran, according to Israeli officials.
Four Palestinians, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza on Monday (8 June), according to local health officials, as mediators continued efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “crazy” during a phone exchange over fighting in Lebanon. The call came as the U.S. was attempting to broker an end to hostilities involving Iran.
Israeli forces carried out more than 120 airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon on Tuesday (26 May), killing at least 31 people in one of the heaviest bombardments in recent weeks, according to Lebanese security and health officials.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
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Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
A shooting in Montreal, Canada has left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the suspected attacker, police said.
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The European Union is set to host Taliban officials in Brussels for talks on migration, marking the first known visit by the group to an EU meeting since it returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
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