Trump in recent days pushed Israeli officials away from a plan to kill Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters and the Associated Press. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes concerning the report.

WASHINGTON–Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is “not off limits” from targeting as Israel proceeds with its intensive air campaign in Iran, an

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has weathered a series of challenges but Israel's unprecedented strikes mark his most serious crisis yet, threatening both the clerical system he leads and his own physical survival.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during the 36th anniversary of the death of the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, at Khomeini's shrine in southern Tehran, Iran June 4, 2025. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

By bnm Tehran bureau Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has vowed that the country’s armed forces will deliver a forceful response to Israel’s large-scale aerial assault, which struck multiple sites across Iran early on June 13.

The U.S. was represented at the UN Security Council's emergency session on Friday by State Department Senior Bureau Official McCoy Pitt, who said the U.S. was advised by Israel that the actions carried out against Iran overnight were "necessary for its self-defense."

Follow live updates as Iran retaliates after Israel strikes nuclear facilities. Stay informed with real-time news and developments.

Stay informed with the latest breaking news from Afghanistan. Politics, business, sports, and culture updates in English – all in one place.

An Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as part of its military offensive targeting the country's nuclear program has been privately vetoed by U.S. President Donald Trump.