US President Donald Trump has refused to confirm whether the United States will join Israel in military strikes on Iran, telling reporters, “I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Trump’s remarks came as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected US demands for “unconditional surrender” and warned that any American military involvement would cause “irreparable harm” to the US.
The conflict between Iran and Israel has entered its seventh day, with Israeli strikes continuing to pound Tehran and Iran launching hundreds of missiles in return, killing 24 people in Israel. Iran says at least 224 of its citizens have been killed since the strikes began.
Trump claimed Iranian officials had reached out to negotiate but called it “very late to be talking.” Asked about Khamenei’s defiance, he responded, “I say, good luck… Unconditional surrender, that means I’ve had it.”
US defense officials confirmed the Pentagon is prepared to act on presidential orders, while sources say options are being considered, including strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump as “a great friend of the state of Israel,” stating that Israel was “striking with tremendous force” and that “we control the skies over Tehran.”
Inside Iran, civilians are fleeing the capital amid ongoing strikes. A government clampdown has banned public filming and limited fuel access, while a near-total internet blackout was reported by watchdog group Netblocks.
In Israel, Tel Aviv has gone quiet, with residents fleeing or sheltering. Some, like Pauline Markowicz and Roy Rankin, are attempting to escape by chartering private boats to Cyprus.
“I feel bad abandoning and leaving but I have to,” said Rankin. Boat operators, including sailing school owner Avi Moysa, say demand has surged. “There’s a kind of madness about it,” he said.
Trump also rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to mediate the crisis, saying, “Do me a favour, mediate your own. Let’s mediate Russia first.”
Diplomatic efforts are intensifying, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia urging de-escalation, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer convening emergency talks as global concerns mount over the conflict’s potential to spread.
Source: ABC.
