Amid escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, President Donald Trump on Wednesday refused to confirm whether the United States would participate in Israeli strikes or target Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
“I may, I may not. Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” Trump said during an interaction outside the White House. He added, “There’s a big difference between now and a week ago… Next week will be big, maybe less than a week.”
Trump claimed that Tehran had reached out for talks, allegedly proposing discussions at the White House, though he did not provide details. “It’s very late to be talking,” he said. The President also described Iran as “totally defenceless, with no air defence whatsoever.”
While stopping short of announcing an imminent strike, Trump signaled intensifying US pressure. “Patience has already run out,” he said, later demanding Iran’s unconditional surrender. On Iran’s nuclear ambitions, he declared: “Iran can’t ever have nuclear weapons.”
Khamenei Rejects Surrender, Warns of “Irreparable Damage” if US Attacks
In a strongly worded televised message, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the US President’s demand for surrender.
ALSO READ: Trump says he stopped India-Pakistan war, again; PM Modi’s sharp rebuttal
“Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language,” Khamenei said. “The Iranian nation will not surrender, and Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”
This came after reports that Washington had intelligence on Khamenei’s whereabouts, but Trump had ruled out a direct assassination attempt—at least for now.
Asked to comment on the Iranian Supreme Leader, Trump simply said, “Good luck.”
Sixth Day of Israel-Iran Missile Conflict Leaves 600+ Dead
The Israel-Iran conflict has now entered its sixth day, with both nations exchanging missile fire. Over 600 lives have been lost, with Iran reporting 585 deaths, and Tel Aviv facing fresh explosions.
ALSO READ: 585 dead in Iran, 24 in Israel: Where the Middle-East conflict stands now
Iran claimed it launched its Fattah-1 hypersonic missile at Israel—the first in this ongoing conflict. Israel’s military, meanwhile, reported 24 deaths and over 1,300 injuries from Iranian strikes. On Wednesday, Israeli offensives focused heavily on Tehran, including a strike on Iran’s internal security agency headquarters, according to Israeli officials.
As military actions intensify and diplomatic rhetoric sharpens, both nations appear locked into a volatile standoff, with global observers watching the US’s next move closely.
