Israeli PM says killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayotallah Khamenei will end conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with ABC News, said that killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would end the conflict between the two countries. He also defended Israel's ongoing military actions against Iran, adding they are aimed at ending the conflict rather than escalating it.

His remarks come after reports that US President Donald Trump had previously vetoed an Israeli plan to target Iran's Supreme Leader, fearing it could worsen the conflict. A senior Trump administration official, as per Reuters, said earlier, "Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership."

He reiterated that Iran has long been a destabilising force in the region. "We've had half a century of conflict spread by this regime that terrorises everyone in the Middle East, and has bombed the Aramco oil fields in Saudi Arabia. It is spreading terrorism and subversion and sabotage everywhere," Netanyahu said.

Calling Iran's nuclear ambitions a global threat, Netanyahu said, "We're not just fighting our enemy. We're fighting your enemy. For God's sake, they chant, 'Death to Israel, death to America'. We’re simply on their way. And this could reach America soon."

He stressed that Israel's actions are aimed at stopping what



he called a "forever war" instigated by Iran, which, according to him, is pushing the world to the edge of nuclear disaster. "What Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression, and we can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil," he said.

Netanyahu acknowledged targeting Iran's nuclear programme and scientists, comparing them to "Hitler's nuclear team", and justified it by warning of the global scale of the threat.

"Today, it’s Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it's New York. I understand 'America First'. I don't understand 'America Dead'. That’s what these people want," he added.

The Israeli Prime Minister also took a swipe at diplomatic efforts, calling them deceptive. "They want to continue fake talks in which they lie, cheat, and string the US along," he said, claiming Israel has reliable intelligence on Iran's intentions.

Netanyahu also highlighted that Iran's growing missile and nuclear programmes pose existential threats not just to Israel but also to its Arab neighbors, Europe and the United States. He thanked America for its support and praised Trump’s stance.

"Sometimes you have to take a stand against evil. That's what the American people instinctively understand. That's what President Trump understands. We cannot let that happen," he said.