Trump says he knew about Israel plan to attack, Rubio denies involvement but Iran not convinced

Israel attacked Iran early Friday, June 13. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation would continue for as many days as it takes to remove the ‘threat to Israel’s survival’. Netanyahu declared an emergency in anticipation of retaliation from Tehran.In a video message shared on social media platforms, the Israeli Prime Minister said: “I wanted to thank President Trump for his leadership in confronting Iran’s nuclear weapons programme. He has made it clear time and again that Iran cannot have a nuclear enrichment programme.”
But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio quickly denied any US involvement.
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio’s statement, shared by the White House, said.Although the US distanced itself from any association, US President Donald Trump told Fox News that he was aware Israel was going to conduct strikes on Iran before they happened, according to the US broadcaster. “Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see,” Trump said, according to Fox News.

Days before, at the Kennedy Centre, Trump remarked that the region “could be a dangerous place” and reiterated the US position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, saying “they can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. We’re not going to allow that.”

Shortly thereafter, the US State Department instructed non-emergency government personnel to leave Iraq. The US ordered some staff to depart the embassy in Baghdad and allowed military service members’ families to leave the Middle East after Iran threatened to attack US bases if talks over its nuclear programme fell through.

The US has denied any involvement, but Iran remains unconvinced.

Hours after the attack on Friday, July 13, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesperson for Iran’s Armed Forces, told state media that the military strikes were carried out with US support and that “Israel will pay a heavy price”.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, said that the Israeli regime has sealed a “bitter and painful” destiny for itself, according to the country’s official news agency IRNA.

“The Zionist regime carried out with its evil and bloody hand a crime in our dear country and revealed its wicked nature further by hitting residential areas…The regime should await a harsh response,” Khamenei said.

Iranian state media confirmed the killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami in the Israeli strike. General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, was also killed in the strikes, Iranian state television reported.

Nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were also killed, according to a Reuters report.

Also read: Several flights have been affected due to the Israel-Iran conflict

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