Trump vetoed Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader

The Iranian foreign ministry building has been damaged in Israel's strikes on the country, according to the government-linked news agency Nour News.

saeed Khatibzadeh, Iran's deputy foreign minister, blamed Israel for deliberately targeting a section of the government building, the outlet said.

Nour News reported that "several" civilians were injured but did not provide additional details.

Eight people were treated by the Magen David Adom emergency services after Iranian strikes in northern Israel, the organization said.

An elderly woman was in "moderate condition" at a hospital where she was being treated for smoke inhalation, MDA said. seven other people were treated for minor injuries.

Nine more people were evaluated and found to be experiencing anxiety-related symptoms, according to the organization.

sen. Adam schiff, D-Calif., and sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., appeared to have similar feelings about Iran, both telling "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker that the United states should be wary of engaging in military conflict with Iran.

In an interview today, schiff said he thinks Israel found an "opportune moment" to go after Iran's nuclear program after the regime's proxy militias in the region were weakened. schiff said that he hasn't received a recent intelligence report about the matter with Iran but that he doesn't support engaging further in direct hostilities.

"I think the United states should be very loathe to engage in another war after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," schiff told Welker.

Paul said in his interview today that he doesn't consider war to be a game and that hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of being killed. He questioned whether war would push Iranians toward nationalism, even though the Iranian regime is deeply unpopular among civilians.

"I think it's going to be very hard to come out of this and have a negotiated settlement," Paul said. "I see more war and more carnage — and it's not the U.s.' job to be involved in this war."

The Israeli military identified hostage Aviv Atzili, a reserve lieutenant colonel, after it recovered his body from the Khan Younis area of Gaza last week.

Atzili, 49, was part of the readiness squat at kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the IDF said. He and his wife, Liat, were taken hostage, but Liat returned to Israel after 54 days in captivity as part of a negotiated agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered heartfelt condolences to Atzili's family a statement on behalf of his family and the Israeli government.

"Aviv bravely went out to defend his kibbutz Nir Oz, fell in battle with the murderers, and was kidnapped to the Gaza strip," Netanyahu said.

Israel's Home Front Command has given the all-clear for civilians to exit their shelters after Iranian strikes on the country.

"search and Rescue forces are operating in several locations across the country in which reports of fallen projectiles were received," it said in a statement.

Magen David Adom emergency services said its medics were scanning areas of reported Iranian strikes in northern Israel for casualties.

Two people were treated and referred to the hospital for shrapnel wounds, the organization said.

Iranian missiles directed toward Israel were identified and defensive systems are working to intercept the threat, the IDF said in a statement.

sirens were heard in Haifa and Tel Aviv around the time the military released the statement. The public was told to enter a protected space and to leave only after authorities issued an explicit directive.

Traffic is heavy in Tehran as people are trying to escape from all possible routes leaving Iran's capital city after heavy bombardment from Israel.

Jam-packed roads are experience two to three hours' worth of traffic for roughly 6 miles of travel.

President Donald Trump rejected a proposal from Israel in the last days to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a U.s. official told NBC News.

Earlier today in an interview on Fox News, Netanyahu did not directly refute the initial Reuters report about the proposed assassination attempt but dismissed “false reports” about discussions between the United states and Israel.

Iran is threatening to strike U.s. military installations if it continues to assist Israel in its defenses against Iranian airstrikes. In the Fox News interview, Netanyahu asserted that U.s. military pilots continue to shoot down drones from Iran.

Reuters was the first to report about a plan to kill the ayatollah.

Israel's air force has begun a series of strikes on "dozens of surface-to-surface missile targets in western Iran," the Israeli military said in a statement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a video circulating on social media that appeared to show people cheering with joy after an Iranian missile struck the Arab-populated city of Tamra, Israel.

"I reject this with all my heart," Netanyahu said. "The missile does not discriminate, it hits both Jews and Arabs."

Four citizens were killed in the strike, Netanyahu said in an address released by his office.  

There were nine others killed by Iranian strikes in Bat Yam just south of Tel Aviv. Netanyahu's address was from Bat Yam, describing today as a "difficult" one.

The IDF said in a statement that it hit an Iranian aircraft refueling in eastern Iran, calling it the longest-range strike since its operation against the Iranian regime began.

According to the Israeli military, the Mashhad airport where the aircraft was struck is 2,300 km, or about 1429 miles, away from Israel.

Tasnim News Agency, an Iranian-state news outlet, reported that shells fell near the shahid Hashemi Nejad Airport in Mashhad. There was no damage to the airport and runway, it reported, and air defenses were immediately activated.

Israel has asked Iran, through Western countries as intermediaries, to stop attacks and return to the nuclear negotiations, a senior Iranian source told NBC News in Tehran.  

A representative for Israel's prime minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

President Donald Trump has publicly urged Israel and Iran to make a deal, writing in a Truth social post this morning that "many calls and meetings" were taking place.

Iran has cancelled a funeral procession for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers who were killed by Israeli strikes last week.

A procession was scheduled for Tuesday in downtown Tehran, from Enghelab square to Azadi square.

According to Iranian state media, Israel’s attack last week killed at least eight senior commanders, including General Hossein salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Iran's top military official.

IRGC Greater Tehran Command said a new date for the ceremony will be announced in the coming days.