US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that a planned Israeli strike on Iran influenced Washington's decision to launch its own preemptive assault on Tehran. Rubio stated on Monday that the US was aware of an impending Israeli action and anticipated Iranian retaliation against American interests, prompting a preemptive strike by US forces to mitigate potential casualties. This revelation comes as the US military confirmed its death toll from the conflict has risen to six. The article details that Tehran retaliated against joint US-Israeli attacks that killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and hundreds of civilians, with drone and missile launches across the region. Rubio emphasized that the US acted to thwart an immediate threat, as Israel intended to strike Iran independently. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attacks were happening with the assistance of US President Donald Trump, aiming to achieve a long-sought objective. The stated goal of the war is to dismantle Iran's missile and drone programs, with the US also expressing hope for the overthrow of the Iranian government.