Trump denied it, but what role did US play in Israeli strikes on Iran?

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As missile exchanges escalate, conflicting accounts emerge over Washington's role in Israel's assault on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, according to a report read more
The US has repeatedly denied any role in Israel's initial strike on Iran, a claim Tehran disputes, as missile exchanges between the two countries continue and fears grow of a broader escalation involving the world's most powerful military.
Since Friday, the conflict has left hundreds dead and over a thousand wounded in Iran, while 19 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Israel as of Monday morning.
Despite official denials, several reports suggest Washington may have played a more active role than acknowledged.
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According to a Time report, unnamed US officials told multiple news outlets on Sunday that President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
'Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we're not even talking about going after the political leadership,' Reuters quoted an official as saying.
While Israel has denied any such plan, the reported rejection by Trump implies a degree of coordination between the US and Israel.
The Israeli strike came during extended US-Iran negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Although Trump has pushed for a diplomatic resolution, frequently citing his deal-making prowess, both Iran and Israel have ignored growing international calls for de-escalation and launched fresh attacks early Monday.
Iran has vowed to retaliate against the US, too, while Trump has warned, 'If we are attacked in any way, shape, or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.'
Israel launched its offensive 'Operation Rising Lion' early on Friday, striking Iran's nuclear facilities, top military officials, and nuclear scientists.
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Israeli leaders vowed the campaign would 'continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat' posed by Iran's nuclear programme. In response, Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Friday evening and has continued its retaliatory attacks since.
Iran claims 'solid evidence' of US involvement
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tehran possesses 'solid evidence' that the US supported the Israeli strikes, reported Time.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry echoed this in a statement, asserting the attacks 'could not have been carried out without coordination with and approval of the United States' and warning that Washington would be 'held responsible for the dangerous consequences of Israel's adventurism,' added the report.
The US has firmly denied any involvement, a position the Trump administration has reiterated multiple times since the strikes began.
'We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement issued shortly after the attacks began, calling Israel's actions a 'unilateral action.'
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Rubio acknowledged that Israel had informed the Trump administration ahead of the operation, a point both President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have since confirmed. In anticipation of the strike, the US evacuated embassy personnel across the region a day prior.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump urged Iran to 'make a deal' and hinted he was aware of 'the next already planned attacks,' which he warned would be 'even more brutal.'
When asked later that day by The Wall Street Journal if Israel had given him advance notice, Trump replied, 'Heads-up? It wasn't a heads-up. It was, we know what's going on.'
On Saturday night, after another wave of strikes, President Trump again said, 'The US had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight.'
While Israel's assault had been in the works for months, earlier reports suggested the Trump administration would steer clear, especially amid US efforts to revive nuclear talks with Tehran.
'Clear US green light'
According to an Axios report on Friday, Israeli officials claimed the operation was in fact coordinated with Washington, alleging that while the US publicly distanced itself, it privately gave a 'clear US green light'
According to multiple outlets including Reuters, AP, and CNN, US officials said they had been briefed on a credible Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and that the White House stepped in to block it.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson, Omer Dostri, dismissed the reports as 'fake.'
Asked on Fox News Sunday about the claim, Netanyahu responded, 'There's so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I'm not going to get into that. But I can tell you, we'll do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.'
The conflicting narratives may reflect diverging priorities between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, told NPR,' Clearly there had been coordination and some form of a green light' from the Trump administration.
'Trump is making a major gamble here, thinking that this actually will soften the Iranian position and make them capitulate,' Parsi was quoted as saying.
'If they don't, what are his options? And this is where I think the Israelis are hoping that the Iranians will not capitulate and that will force the United States into the war,' Parsi added.
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With inputs from agencies