By: Fern Sidman

In a move that calls attention to the delicate balance between strategic deterrence and diplomatic restraint, President Donald Trump recently intervened to block an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to two senior U.S. officials who spoke with Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The revelation, reported by Reuters on Sunday, comes amid escalating military tensions in the Middle East following Israel’s sweeping aerial campaign against key Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. The campaign, widely referred to as “Operation Rising Lion,” has reportedly dealt substantial blows to Iran’s nuclear capabilities and its military command structure. Yet, the decision to refrain from targeting the Islamic Republic’s most senior political figure appears to reflect Washington’s calculation that such an escalation would ignite an uncontrollable regional war.

“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership,” one senior administration official told Reuters, articulating the logic that guided the U.S. veto of the Israeli plan.

While the officials declined to specify whether President Trump personally communicated the decision to Israeli leadership, they confirmed he has been in “constant contact” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. These exchanges have intensified following Israel’s unprecedented wave of precision strikes across Iranian territory, including targeted assassinations of senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

The Reuters report suggested that at one point during the past week, Israeli operatives had a credible window of opportunity to eliminate Khamenei. That window, however, was shut after discussions with U.S. officials, who made clear that such an action would cross a red line.

In an interview broadcast Sunday night on Fox News Channel’s Special Report with Bret Baier, Prime Minister Netanyahu dismissed speculation about U.S.-Israeli backroom discussions: “There are so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that.” However, he added pointedly, “We do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”

The Israeli leader’s ambiguous remarks reflect a broader policy of strategic opacity. However, his refusal to categorically deny the Reuters account has only fueled speculation about just how close Israel came to attempting a political decapitation strike—an act that would likely have changed the entire geopolitical trajectory of the region.

As the Reuters report noted, Trump has long favored a calibrated approach to Iran, one that balances muscular deterrence with a persistent hope for negotiated solutions. His administration’s 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal was followed by a “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign—yet Trump repeatedly signaled openness to renegotiating a deal that would both curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reintegrate the country into the global economy.

That ambition, however, has been tested in recent weeks by Iran’s acceleration of its nuclear program and by its own retaliatory missile strikes against Israel, which have killed several civilians. The potential fallout from an Israeli assassination of Khamenei, including the prospect of retaliatory attacks on American targets across the Middle East, likely weighed heavily in Washington’s calculus.

Indeed, the cancellation of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations scheduled for Sunday in Oman, following the Israeli air campaign, is evidence of how fragile the diplomatic track remains. As Reuters reported, President Trump remarked pointedly on Friday, “We knew everything” about the Israeli strikes, a statement suggesting a high degree of intelligence-sharing and coordination—even if Washington withheld a green light on some of Israel’s more audacious plans.

The backchannel between Trump and Netanyahu is well documented, marked by mutual trust and close alignment on major security issues. Yet, this instance reflects the limitations of even the closest alliance. According to the information provided in the Reuters report, American officials emphasized that the veto was not a rebuke of Israel’s right to defend itself, but a strategic necessity given the broader interests of U.S. regional posture.

The implications of the Reuters report are profound. By choosing not to eliminate Iran’s supreme leader at a moment of maximum military advantage, Washington has signaled that some red lines remain intact—at least for now. But it also underscores how perilously close the region is to a full-scale conflagration that could engulf not just Iran and Israel, but American assets and allies from the Gulf to the Mediterranean.

As Israeli jets continue to conduct operations in Iranian airspace, and with Iranian proxies across the region preparing potential retaliatory action, the situation remains fluid and dangerous. Whether restraint will continue to prevail or whether one more spark will ignite the powder keg remains uncertain.