Less than 48 hours before the US-Israeli strike on Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump to discuss the timing and rationale for a complex military operation targeting Iran’s leadership.
According to sources briefed on the conversation, both leaders were aware from intelligence that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials were scheduled to meet in Tehran, presenting a potential opportunity for a “decapitation strike” — a tactic often used by Israel against top leaders but rarely by the United States. New intelligence indicated that the meeting had been rescheduled from Saturday night to Saturday morning, heightening the sense of urgency.
Netanyahu, who had long advocated for a decisive operation against Iran, reportedly argued that the revised timing presented a unique window of opportunity. By the time of the call, Trump had already approved the idea of a US military operation but had not finalized the timing or circumstances for involvement. US forces had been building up in the region for weeks, leading many within the administration to anticipate that a decision was imminent.
Sources suggest that Netanyahu’s call, combined with intelligence pointing to a narrow window to target Khamenei, contributed to Trump’s decision to authorize Operation Epic Fury on February 27. The first strikes were carried out the following morning, February 28, with Trump publicly announcing that Khamenei had been killed later that day.
The White House described the operation as aimed at neutralizing Iran’s missile capabilities, naval forces, and proxy networks while preventing nuclear weapons development. Netanyahu has dismissed claims that Israel coerced the United States into the conflict, asserting that the decision rested entirely with Trump.
Reporting from sources close to both leaders indicates that while the Israeli prime minister advocated strongly for action, there is no evidence that he forced the United States into the strike.
