Netanyahu says Iran tried to assassinate Trump as he tries to justify air strikes on Fox News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed during an appearance on Fox News that Iran has tried to assassinate Donald Trump twice.
Netanyahu, who sought to justify Israel 's recent waves of missile strikes in Iran, asked host Bret Baier whether 'these people who chant 'death to America'' and 'tried to assassinate President Trump twice' should 'have nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to your cities.'
Baier then pressed Netanyahu about his claim that Iran launched two assassination attempts.
'Through proxies, yes.' he said.
'Through, through their intel, yes, they want to kill him,' he added. 'He's enemy number one.'
In July, the Secret Service ramped up security for Trump in the weeks leading up to an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after learning of a plot to kill then-candidate Trump.
In September, the president claimed there were ' big threats on my life by Iran.' The Department of Justice in November charged Farhad Shakeri with trying to conduct a murder-for-hire plot against Trump.
'He's a decisive leader,' Netanyahu added. 'He never took the path that others took to try to bargain with them in a way that is weak, giving them basically a pathway to enrich uranium, which means a pathway to the bomb, padding it with billions and billions of dollars.'
Netanyahu referenced Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement brokered by former president Barack Obama's administration.
The Israeli prime minister said missile strikes that have killed top military officials and nuclear scientists have sought to curb Iran's nuclear program and prevent the regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
'I think we've sent them back quite a bit,' he said. 'I think they were completely surprised. And, you know, surprise is the is a great element of success.'
Baier also asked Netanyahu when he told Trump he would launch the strikes on Iran.
'Obviously, we informed our American friends and President Trump, our great friend, ahead of time,' he said.
Administration officials have sought to distance the White House from the attacks, though Trump last week said last week — before the attacks — that a military operation against Iran would 'blow' negotiations his administration has tried to broker over its nuclear program. Talks scheduled for Sunday were canceled.
The strikes — which preceded Iran conducting any strikes on Israel in kind — followed Trump's deployment of Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to lead negotiations with Iran.
Netanyahu said he would be open if Iran complied with Trump's demands.
'I said it is worth it if they'll do what the president wants, and that is eliminate their enrichment capacity,' he said. 'You know, that's a lot better than my having my country, my forces, my brave pilots, having to do it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
37 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Iran strikes Tel Aviv and Haifa as Israel conflict enters fourth day
Iranian missiles have struck Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, destroying homes and fuelling concerns among world leaders at this week's G7 meeting that the conflict between the two regional enemies could lead to a broader Middle East war. Israeli media reported that three people were killed in a strike on a city in the country's centre while dozens more were wounded in the attacks. Authorities in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv said that Iranian missiles had hit a residential building there, charring concrete walls, blowing out windows and heavily damaging multiple apartments. Search and location operations were under way in the northern port city of Haifa where about 30 people were wounded, emergency authorities said, as dozens of first responders rushed to the strike zones. Fires were seen burning at a power plant near the port, media reported. Iranian state TV said the country fired at least 100 missiles at Israel, signalling that it had no intention of yielding to international calls for de-escalation as it pressed on with its retaliation for Israel's surprise attack on Tehran's nuclear program and military leadership on Friday. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed the latest attack employed a new method that caused Israel's multi-layered defence systems to target each other. The Guardian was unable to verify this claim. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. Israeli officials have repeatedly said the defence system is not 100% infallible and warned of tough days ahead. Israeli strikes on Iran on Sunday killed the intelligence chief of the country's Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Kazemi, along with two other officers, Iran's IRNA state media news agency reported. Late on Sunday the Israeli military said that it was striking surface-to-surface missile sites in Iran. Images from Tehran showed the night sky lit up by a huge blaze at a fuel depot after Israel began strikes against Iran's oil and gas sector – raising the stakes for the global economy and the functioning of the Iranian state. At least 14 people in Israel, including children, were killed in earlier strikes in the lead-up to Monday's attacks, according to authorities. The death toll in Iran had reached at least 224, with 90% of the casualties reported to be civilians, an Iranian health ministry spokesperson said. G7 leaders began gathering in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday with the Israel-Iran conflict expected to be a top priority. Before leaving for the summit on Sunday, US president Donald Trump was asked what he was doing to de-escalate the situation. 'I hope there's going to be a deal. I think it's time for a deal,' he told reporters. 'Sometimes they have to fight it out.' German chancellor Friedrich Merz said his goals for the summit included for Iran to not develop or possess nuclear weapons, ensuring Israel's right to defend itself, avoiding escalation of the conflict and creating room for diplomacy. 'This issue will be very high on the agenda of the G7 summit,' Merz told reporters. Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters on Sunday. In Washington, two US officials told Reuters that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan in recent days to kill Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. When asked about the Reuters report, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News 'There's so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I'm not going to get into that.' 'We do what we need to do,' he added. Israel began the assault with a surprise attack on Friday that wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command and damaged its nuclear sites, and pledged the campaign would escalate in the coming days. Iran vowed to 'open the gates of hell' in retaliation. Trump has lauded Israel's offensive while denying Iranian allegations that the US has taken part and warning Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US targets. However, two US officials said on Friday that the US military had helped shoot down Iranian missiles that were headed toward Israel. The US president has repeatedly said Iran could end the war by agreeing to tough restrictions on its nuclear program, which Iran says is for peaceful purposes but which western countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear watchdog say could be used to make an atomic bomb. With Reuters and the Associated Press
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Israel-Iran live: Three killed and more than 70 injured as new rocket barrage hits Israel
Three killed in Israel in latest attacks Two women and one man have been killed in rocket strikes across four sites in central Israel, according to emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA). It posted on X to say there was one serious injury, five moderate, and 68 people with mild injuries. Rescue operations are ongoing at two sites, MDA added. Apartment block hit by Iran strike A residential building in central Israel is shown with significant damage after the latest Iranian missile strikes. The Times of Israel reports the location of the building as Petah Tikva, about six miles east of Tel Aviv. Details on casualties from the impact are so far unclear. Search and rescue ongoing at missile sites in central Israel Israel's MDA emergency medical service has posted images and video on X showing "a number of sites of rocket strikes in central Israel". The post appears to show significant damage to an apartment block. In a follow-up post, the MDA said 29 injured people had so far been evacuated across all rocket strike sites - with "three in moderate condition and 26 in mild condition". It said search and rescue efforts were ongoing. Public can leave air raid shelters The Israeli military has said people can leave shelters and safe spaces, signalling the threat from the latest rocket barrage is over. More missiles fired at Israel - as air defences deployed over Tel Aviv More missiles have just been fired at Israel - the first since a barrage on Sunday evening. Video (below) shows air defences shooting down many of them over Tel Aviv. It appears a few may have hit the ground - but it's still to be confirmed. Air raid sirens went off in the city, and also in Jerusalem. The Israeli military said: "A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. "Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat. Upon receiving an alert, the public is instructed to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice. "Leaving the protected space is only permitted following an explicit directive. Continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command." Israeli strikes have killed 224, says Iran Some 224 people have now died in Israeli strikes since Friday, according to latest figures from Iran's health ministry and the country's Mehr news agency. Spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on social media that 1,277 others were hospitalised and claimed over 90% of the casualties were civilians. Latest figures from Israel were that 14 people had died and 390 wounded. However, emergency services said on Monday morning that three more people had died after the latest overnight missile attacks, with 74 injured. It takes the total to 17 deaths and 464 injured - but these figures could change as the attack sites are searched. Trump says he hopes Israel and Iran can agree ceasefire Donald Trump has said he hopes Israel and Iran can broker a ceasefire but said sometimes countries "have to fight it out" first. Speaking to reporters as he left for the G7 in Canada, the president said America would continue to support Israel but declined to say if he asked the US ally to pause strikes on Iran. "I hope there's going to be a deal," he said. "I think it's time for a deal and we'll see what happens. Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we're gonna see what happens." Hours earlier, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Iran and Israel "should make a deal, and will make a deal". "We will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place," he added. Israel striking surface-to-surface missile sites in Iran: IDF Israel is currently striking Iran's surface-to-surface missile sites in the centre of the country, the IDF has said. EU boss speaks to Netanyahu European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that she spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu regarding developments in the Middle East. Von der leyen, in a post on X, reiterated the EU's commitment to peace, stability and diplomatic efforts leading to de-escalation. This is what the EU chief had to say... Iran not open to Israel ceasefire talks while under attack, official says Iran is telling mediator countries Qatar and Oman that it isn't open to negotiating a ceasefire with Israel while under attack. This comes from an Iranian official briefed on the matter, who told Reuters that Tehran "will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli pre-emptive strikes". The official also said reports that Iran appealed to Oman and Qatar to engage the US to broker a ceasefire and renew nuclear talks were inaccurate.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Fire reported at Haifa power plant after Iran launches latest wave of missile strikes on Israel
Update: Date: 2025-06-16T04:09:46.000Z Title: Magen David Adom, Content: The latest update on the Iranian strikes in Israel has been reported by Israel's national emergency service, which says that 3 people have been killed in rocket strikes across 4 sites in central Israel. The MDA also said 74 people had been evacuated, 68 with mild injuries. Rescue operations still ongoing at 2 sites. Update: Date: 2025-06-16T04:00:27.000Z Title: Summary Content: It's 7am in Tel Aviv, where Israeli officials say several people have been injured in the latest round of Iranian strikes, as the conflict between the two regional rivals enters a fourth day. British maritime security firm Ambrey said that fires were observed at a power plant in the vicinity of Haifa, after Iranian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on the northern city's port infrastructure. Ambrey said it observed video footage of the Israeli military intercepting the attack, followed by impacts from two hypersonic missiles. It comes as world leaders meet in Canada for a G7 meeting set to be domincated by the escalating Middle East conflict. Israel and Iran have broadened their strikes against each other as the conflict between the two nations enters its fourth day, in an escalating war that has killed and injured hundreds of people. Israeli strikes in Iran have killed 224 people so far, with 90% of the casualties reported to be civilians, an Iranian health ministry spokesperson said. Iran's foreign ministry has challenged Israel's characterisation of what it has described as 'surgical' strikes in Tehran, saying that many women and children have been killed in residential areas. The intelligence chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Kazemi, and his deputy were killed in Israel's attacks on Tehran on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said. In an earlier interview on Sunday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News anchor Bret Baier: 'I can tell you we got their chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran.' In Israel, Iranian strikes have killed at least 14 people, with three missing and hundreds injured by Sunday morning. Netanyahu visited the site of the Bat Yam strike on Sunday to see the damage and meet rescue workers. 'Iran will pay a very heavy price for the premeditated murder of civilians, women and children,' he said. In a post on X, the IDF said the Home Front Command has instructed residents across the country to continue staying close to protected spaces. 'Movement in open areas should be minimized, and gatherings should be avoided. Upon receiving an alert, enter the protected space and remain there until a new official announcement is issued,' the IDF said. US President Donald Trump has said there will 'soon' be peace between Israel and Iran, adding that there were many calls and meetings happening and that the two countries should make a deal. 'Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal,' Trump said on Truth Social, adding that 'we will have PEACE, soon'. Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli plan in recent days to kill Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, two US officials told Reuters on Sunday. The officials said top US officials have been in constant communications with Israeli officials in the days since Israel launched a massive attack, and that they had an opportunity to kill the top Iranian leader, but Trump waved them off of the plan. Tasnim, Iran's semi-official news agency, reports that security forces have discovered a secret drone-manufacturing site in Shahr-e Ray, located south of Tehran. The agency said on X that homemade bombs and more than 200kg of explosives had been found in the three floor building, claiming the space had been used by Israeli agents to assemble and store drones. The foreign policy chief of the European Union has called for a video conference of the EU's foreign ministers on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. 'In light of the gravity of the situation in the Middle East, EU high representative Kaja Kallas has convened a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers via video link for Tuesday,' an EU spokesperson said. Tensions between Iran and Israel are escalating as leaders of G7 nations prepare meet on Monday in the Canadian Rockies, where they plan to spend the opening day asking Trump to justify his confidence that Israel and Iran will make a deal that will mean 'peace soon'.
