As missiles continue to fly between Israel and Iran, questions are mounting over the extent of U.S. involvement in Israel’s initial strike, despite repeated denials from the White House. The conflict, now in its fourth day, has left hundreds dead and thousands injured across both countries, raising fears of a broader regional war and possible U.S. entanglement.
Israel’s operation, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” began on Friday with strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets. Iran responded with retaliatory missile attacks on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. By Monday, the death toll in Iran had climbed into the hundreds, with over 1,000 wounded. Israel reported 19 killed and several hundred injured.
While Washington insists it played no direct role in the Israeli attack, Iranian officials dispute this, claiming the strikes could not have been carried out without American coordination. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the U.S. would be held “responsible for the dangerous consequences of Israel’s adventurism.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected that accusation, stating the strikes were “unilateral action by Israel,” and reaffirmed that the U.S. priority was safeguarding American personnel in the region. The U.S. evacuated diplomatic staff from key embassies a day before the attacks, a move that has only deepened suspicions of foreknowledge.
Further complicating the picture are media reports that suggest closer ties behind the scenes. Citing unnamed U.S. officials, Reuters and other outlets reported that the Trump Administration was informed of a proposed Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — a plan which the U.S. reportedly rejected.
President Donald Trump, speaking on Truth Social, initially said he had been made aware of “planned attacks” that would be “even more brutal.” However, he has since insisted that “the U.S. had nothing to do with the attack on Iran.”
Despite official denials, a report from Axios quoted Israeli officials claiming a “clear U.S. green light” had been given in private, even as Washington maintained public opposition. Netanyahu’s spokesperson has denied these claims, calling reports of U.S.-Israeli coordination on an assassination plot “fake.”
Analysts say the murky signals reflect diverging goals. “Clearly there had been coordination and some form of a green light,” said Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute. “Trump is making a major gamble here, thinking this pressure will make Iran capitulate. But if they don’t, it risks dragging the U.S. into the conflict.”
With negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme already strained, the risk of wider escalation remains high. Observers warn that any further provocation — or a direct Iranian strike on U.S. assets — could ignite a larger war with global repercussions.