A political figure confirmed to Ynet on Sunday former U.S. President Donald Trump's statement that Israel was involved in planning the 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, but withdrew from the operation two days prior.
"For a long time, Mossad and the Military Intelligence Directorate had been preparing the operation to eliminate Soleimani. However, at the moment of truth, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got cold feet, fearing Iran's retaliation against high-ranking Israelis,” the source said. ”Subsequently, Trump, advised by his defense secretary, decided to proceed, and so it was.”
(Itamar Eichner)