In a fresh wave of hostilities, Israel and Iran exchanged attacks on Saturday night, impacting residential areas in Israel and numerous targets in Tehran. According to the Associated Press, the conflict has claimed the lives of at least 406 individuals in Iran and over a dozen in Israel. The missile exchanges followed Israel's Friday assault on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and other critical sites.
As reported by Reuters, former U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Anonymous U.S. officials revealed that American leaders have been in continuous dialogue with Israeli counterparts since the extensive strike on Iran, which aimed to halt its nuclear ambitions. Although Israeli operatives indicated they had a chance to eliminate the Iranian leader, the plan was ultimately rejected by Trump. However, it remains unclear who directly conveyed this decision.
On Sunday, Trump addressed the situation on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating, "Iran and Israel should reach an agreement, and they will, just as I facilitated between India and Pakistan, leveraging trade with the U.S. to bring logic, unity, and sanity to negotiations with two exceptional leaders who quickly decided to STOP!"
Continuing Escalation of Hostilities
On Sunday, Israeli strikes targeted a variety of sites across Iran, including energy facilities and government buildings in Tehran, prompting some residents to flee the capital. In retaliation, Iran launched another series of ballistic missiles at Israel, hitting at least one southern city and the northern port city of Haifa.
Israeli leaders urged citizens to seek shelter, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched strikes on dozens of ground-to-ground missiles in western Iran, as announced on their social media channels. The IDF also targeted an Iranian refueling aircraft at Mashhad airport, a significant location nearly 1,500 miles from Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that their actions are aimed at preventing a "nuclear holocaust," citing intelligence suggesting that Iran is months away from developing an initial nuclear weapon.
Key Questions on the Israel-Iran Conflict
What triggered the recent escalation between Israel and Iran?
The recent escalation was triggered by Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and other targets, leading to a series of retaliatory strikes between the two nations.
Why did Donald Trump reject the Israeli plan to kill Ayatollah Khamenei?
Donald Trump rejected the plan, although the specific reasons are unclear. The decision was part of ongoing communications between the U.S. and Israel aimed at managing the conflict.