Donald Trump to decide in two weeks whether US will strike Iran: White House
US President Donald Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to authorise a direct US military strike on Iran, as the conflict between Tehran and Israel intensifies, according to The Associated Press (AP). His statement, read by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, pointed to a 'substantial chance' for renewed diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program.
Quoting Trump, Leavitt announced:
'Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiation 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.'
Trump is reportedly considering targeting Iran's fortified Fordo uranium enrichment site — a facility buried deep underground and considered accessible only to US 'bunker-buster' bombs. These bombs are designed to penetrate up to 200 feet of earth or concrete before detonating.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Wednesday, Trump declined to confirm whether he had decided to join Israel's campaign targeting Iran's nuclear enrichment program. 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' He added that he has 'ideas as to what to do' and that he prefers to make the 'final decision one second before it's due.'
The ongoing conflict began with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military installations. According to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group, at least 639 people — including 263 civilians — have been killed in Iran, with more than 1,300 injured.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials estimate that Iran has launched roughly 450 missiles and 1,000 drones. Most have been intercepted, but at least 24 Israelis have died and hundreds more have been injured.
Tensions escalated sharply after Iranian missiles struck a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, injuring at least 240 people, as per AP. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz directly threatened Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying, 'In order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.'
Israeli fighter jets, too, carried out renewed strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking from the rubble outside Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, said he trusted Trump to 'do what's best for America,' adding, 'they're already helping a lot.'
Meanwhile, Soroka Medical Center became one of several hospitals that had already activated emergency protocols amid the escalating threat. At the time of the missile strike, the hospital was treating around 700 patients. At least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded, though most injuries were minor due to pre-emptive evacuations to underground wards.
Israel's Home Front Command said one Iranian ballistic missile appeared to be loaded with cluster munitions — a type of weapon that disperses small bomblets over a wide area. Iranian officials denied targeting the hospital, claiming instead they struck a nearby military tech unit.
Israel confirmed its air force targeted Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, a facility once central to Iran's ability to produce plutonium — a material usable in nuclear weapons. Iranian state TV said the site had been evacuated and posed 'no radiation danger.'
The Arak reactor had been partially redesigned under the 2015 nuclear deal, but work stalled after the US withdrew from the agreement in 2018. Israeli forces said their strike aimed to prevent the facility from being restored to weapons-grade capability.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has acknowledged it no longer has full oversight of Iran's heavy water production due to recent restrictions.
(With inputs from AP)
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