Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC News that targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could end the conflict between Israel and Iran, not escalate it.
Speaking with ABC’s Jonathan Karl, Netanyahu dismissed reports that President Donald Trump opposed a prior assassination plan, saying, “It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict.”
Netanyahu accused Iran of spreading terror across the Middle East and pushing the region toward nuclear war. “We’ve had half a century of conflict spread by this regime,” he said. While declining to confirm a direct plan to target Khamenei, he stated, “We’ve targeted their top nuclear scientists. It’s basically Hitler’s nuclear team.”
He emphasized U.S. support is vital, adding, “Today, it’s Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it’s New York… I don’t understand ‘America Dead.’” Netanyahu rejected claims that Iran seeks peace talks, calling them “fake talks.”
On criticism from U.S. Republicans like Tucker Carlson, Netanyahu responded, “We’re fighting your enemy… They chant ‘Death to America.’” He concluded, “Sometimes you have to take a stand against evil.”