White House reveals when Donald Trump will decide on possible US strike on Iran amid war with Israel
Donald Trump hopeful about talks with Iran, will decide within two weeks on potential US strikes, says White House.
The White House on Thursday announced that President Donald Trump plans to decide within the next two weeks whether the US will intervene in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Quoting Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”
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Trump’s statement, conveyed by Leavitt, signals a longer timeline for his demands that Iran halt its uranium enrichment and nuclear weapons-related activities.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said he was weighing the option of joining Israel's strikes and noted that Iran had approached the US to discuss ending the conflict.
"I may do it, I may not do it," Trump told reporters. "I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate."
Israel-Iran conflict enters 7th day
Israel and Iran traded fire once again on Thursday, marking the seventh day of their ongoing war. According to Iranian state media, air defence systems were activated over Tehran in response to "hostile targets" as the conflict, sparked by Israeli strikes a week ago, continued to escalate.
"Iran's air defences confront hostile targets in northern Tehran," reported Iran's official news agency IRNA, without providing further details.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday that Israel was "changing the face of the world" through its military campaign against Iran.
"I said that we're changing the face of the Middle East, and now I say we're changing the face of the world," he told public broadcaster Kan, claiming Israel had taken out "more than half" of Iran's missile launchers.
Tensions spiked further after a missile strike hit an Israeli hospital, prompting defence minister Israel Katz to call for the elimination of Iran’s supreme leader.
Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed -- he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals," Katz said. "He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal. Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist."
The strike left Soroka Hospital in Beersheba engulfed in flames. Iran said it was targeting an Israeli military and intelligence facility.
Meanwhile, as President Donald Trump continued to weigh possible US involvement, Russia — a close Iranian ally — warned Washington that entering the conflict would be "an extremely dangerous step."
Israel launched the first round of strikes last week, claiming Iran was nearing the development of a nuclear weapon. The back-and-forth attacks have since intensified, drawing global concern and deepening instability in the region, already mired in the Gaza war for the past 20 months.
Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed Iran would "pay a heavy price" for the hospital attack, signalling no end in sight to the hostilities.
