Donald Trump Hints at Possible US Involvement in Israel-Iran Conflict, Says Both Sides May Need to ‘Fight It Out’ Before Peace

US President Donald Trump declined an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to three American officials speaking to CBS News, a partner of BBC.

The president allegedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that targeting Khamenei was “not a good idea,” as per one official. Trump has not issued any public statements regarding the matter.

Alleged Proposal Following Israeli Attack

This exchange reportedly took place following Israel’s military strike on Iran on Friday.

When asked by Fox News about a Reuters report stating Trump had rejected a plan to kill the Iranian leader, Netanyahu neither confirmed nor denied it.

“There’s so many false reports of conversations that never happened and I’m not going to get into that,” he said.

He further stated, “But I can tell you I think we do what we need to do. We will do what we need to do and I think the United States knows what is good for the United States and I’m just not going to get into it.”

An Israeli official told CBS News that the country, “in principle,” does not target political leaders. “We are focused on nuclear and military. I don’t think anyone making decisions about those programs should be living free and easy,” the official added.

Escalation of Strikes Between Israel and Iran

Israel initiated attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and other strategic sites on Friday. Since then, both countries have continued to launch large-scale strikes against each other, with the conflict stretching into its third consecutive day on Sunday.

On Truth Social, Trump addressed the intensifying violence, saying, “Iran and Israel should make a deal.” He claimed he would be able to broker peace between the two, similar to what he said he did between India and Pakistan during their recent standoff.

Cancelled Nuclear Talks and Continued Hostilities

Trump, before departing for the G7 summit in Canada, reaffirmed continued US support for Israel but declined to say whether he had urged Israel to cease its attacks on Iran.

Talks regarding the US-Iran nuclear deal, initially planned for Sunday, were cancelled. Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, who was to mediate, made the announcement a day prior.

According to a Reuters report, an official briefed on communications said that Iran informed Qatar and Oman it would not discuss a ceasefire while under attack by Israel. Trump emphasized on Saturday that the US had “nothing to do with the attack on Iran.”

He issued a warning: “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.” He also said he believed peace between Iran and Israel was achievable but suggested that conflict might be necessary first.

Trump’s Remarks on Potential US Involvement

During a briefing at the White House on Sunday, Trump said, “Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re going to see what happens.” He expressed optimism, adding, “I think there’s a good chance there’ll be a deal.”

In an interview with ABC News earlier that day, Trump stated that while US involvement in the conflict was “possible,” the country was “not at this moment involved.”

Israel’s Alleged Plan and Netanyahu’s Response

An official, as reported by AP, stated that Israel informed the Trump administration that it had prepared a credible plan to assassinate Khamenei. Upon review, the White House made clear that Trump opposed the operation.

When questioned by Fox News, Netanyahu did not respond directly to whether Trump had vetoed the plan. “But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we’ll do what we need to do,” he said. “And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”

Omer Dostri, a spokesperson for Netanyahu, later dismissed the reports regarding the plan to kill Khamenei as “fake.”

In the same Fox interview, Netanyahu suggested that regime change in Iran “could certainly be the result” of the ongoing conflict, claiming that “the Iranian regime is very weak.”

Global Implications and Market Reactions

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has had global economic repercussions. Oil markets reacted swiftly, with Brent crude rising by up to 5.5% in early Asian trading on Monday.

The rising tensions may also create divisions at the upcoming G7 summit, where world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have urged de-escalation to avoid a broader regional conflict.

The summit already faces pressure from disagreements over US tariffs and the ongoing war in Ukraine.