Netanyahu confirms killing of IRGC intelligence chief and deputy in Tehran strike

US President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader in recent days, Reuters reported citing two unnamed US officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment on the Reuters report. "I'm not going to get into that," Netanyahu told Fox News.

Axios quoted a US official as saying the Israelis had an opportunity to kill Khamenei, but the US told them Trump was opposed to that.

"The Iranians haven't killed an American, and discussion of killing political leaders should not be on the table," the US official was quoted as saying.

Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and his deputy, Hassan Mohaqqeq, were trapped under the rubble following the Israeli strike on the Organization's building in Tehran, and their condition is currently unknown, Iran International has learned.

The strike caused extensive damage to the building, and search and rescue operations are still underway.

Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Moscow can play “a key role” in mediating the conflict between Israel and Iran, in a post on X on Sunday.

Dmitriev’s comment came in response to a post by US President Donald Trump, who said he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the conflict.

President Donald Trump says the United States could become involved in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, though it is not currently participating.

“It’s possible we could get involved,” Trump told ABC News, adding that the US is “not at this moment involved” in the fighting.

Trump also said he would be open to Russian President Vladimir Putin serving as a mediator in the conflict. “He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it,” Trump said.

US President Donald Trump said peace between Israel and Iran “will happen soon,” adding that “many calls and meetings (are) now taking place.”

“Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal,” he said in a post on Truth Social.