Trump calls for Iran's ‘unconditional surrender' as Israel-Iran air war rages on
[WASHINGTON/DUBAI/JERUSALEM] US President Donald Trump called on Tuesday (Jun 17) for Iran's unconditional surrender and warned US patience was wearing thin, but said there was no intention to kill Iran's leader 'for now', as the Israel-Iran air war entered a sixth day.
An Israeli military official said approximately 10 ballistic missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel in the early hours of Wednesday morning and most of them were intercepted. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.
Explosions were also heard in Tehran and the city of Karaj to the west of the capital, Iranian news websites reported.
Trump's comments, delivered via social media, suggested a more aggressive stance towards Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement.
'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now...Our patience is wearing thin.'
Three minutes later, he posted, 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!'
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign Up
Sign Up
A White House official said that Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Tuesday, confirming a report from Axios.
Trump's sometimes contradictory and cryptic messaging about the conflict between close US ally Israel and longtime foe Iran has deepened the uncertainty surrounding the crisis. His public comments have ranged from military threats to diplomatic overtures, not uncommon for a president known for an often erratic approach to foreign policy.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could face the same fate as Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a US-led invasion and hanged in 2006 after a trial.
Trump said on Monday that he might send US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice-President JD Vance to meet Iranian officials. The president said his early departure from the Group of Seven nations summit in Canada had 'nothing to do' with working on a ceasefire deal, and that something 'much bigger' was expected.
Britain's leader Keir Starmer said there was no indication the US was about to enter the conflict.
Trump met for 90 minutes with his National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the conflict, a White House official said. Details were not immediately available.
The US is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three US officials said. The move follows other deployments that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as defensive in nature. The US has so far only taken defensive actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired towards Israel.
Regional influence weakens
Khamenei's main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five sources familiar with his decision-making process.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had killed Iran's wartime chief of staff Ali Shadmani, four days after he replaced another top commander killed in the strikes.
With Iranian leaders suffering their most dangerous security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country's cybersecurity command banned officials from using communications devices and mobile phones, Fars news agency reported.
Israel launched a 'massive cyber war' against Iran's digital infrastructure, Iranian media reported.
Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei's regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran's proxies – from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran's close ally, Syria's autocratic president Bashar al-Assad, has been ousted.
Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.
Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran's nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment.
Before Israel's attack began, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.
The IAEA said on Tuesday an Israeli strike directly hit the underground enrichment halls at the Natanz facility.
The Iranian news website Eghtesadonline, which covers economic news, reported on Tuesday that Iran arrested a foreigner for filming 'sensitive' areas at the Bushehr nuclear power plant for Israel's spy agency Mossad.
Iranian security forces also arrested a 'terrorist team' linked to Israel with explosives in a town southwest of the capital Tehran, Iranian state media reported.
Oil markets on alert
Israel says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in the coming days.
But Israel will struggle to deal a knock-out blow to deeply buried nuclear sites such as Fordow, which is dug beneath a mountain, without the US joining the attack.
Israel's Katz said Fordow was an issue that will be addressed.
Iran has so far fired nearly 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones towards Israel, with about 35 missiles penetrating Israel's defensive shield, Israeli officials said.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they hit Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate and foreign intelligence service Mossad's operational centre early on Tuesday. There was no Israeli confirmation.
Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Residents of both countries have been evacuated or fled.
Global oil markets are on high alert following strikes on sites including the world's biggest gas field, South Pars, shared by Iran and Qatar. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
20 minutes ago
- CNA
Zelenskyy leaves G7 with no Trump meeting or fresh arms support from US
KANANASKIS, Alberta: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the Group of Seven summit on Tuesday (Jun 17) with new aid from host Canada for its war against Russia but said diplomacy is in "crisis" having missed the chance to press US President Donald Trump for more weapons. The G7 wealthy nations struggled to find unity over the conflict in Ukraine after Trump expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and left a day early to address the Israel-Iran conflict from Washington. A Canadian official initially said Ottawa had dropped plans for the G7 to issue a strong statement on the war in Ukraine after resistance from the United States. Emily Williams, director of media relations for Prime Minister Mark Carney, later said no proposed statement on Ukraine had ever been planned. Carney had started the day by announcing Ottawa would provide C$2 billion (US$1.47 billion) in new military assistance for Kyiv as well as impose new financial sanctions. Zelenskyy said he had told the G7 leaders that "diplomacy is now in a state of crisis" and said they need to continue calling on Trump "to use his real influence" to force an end to the war, in a post on his Telegram account. Although Canada is one of Ukraine's most vocal defenders, its ability to help it is far outweighed by the United States, the largest arms supplier to Kyiv. Zelenskyy had said he hoped to talk to Trump about acquiring more weapons. After the summit in the Rocky Mountain resort area of Kananaskis concluded, Carney issued a chair statement summarising deliberations. "G7 leaders expressed support for President Trump's efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," it said. "They recognised that Ukraine has committed to an unconditional ceasefire, and they agreed that Russia must do the same. G7 leaders are resolute in exploring all options to maximise pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions." Canada holds the rotating G7 presidency this year. Other leaders do not need to sign off on G7 chair statements. Trump did agree to a group statement published on Monday calling for a resolution of the Israel-Iran conflict. "We had a declaration given the exceptional, fast moving situation in Iran," Carney told a closing news conference. A European official said leaders had stressed to Trump their plans to be hard on Russia and Trump seemed impressed, though he does not like sanctions in principle. Three European diplomats said they had heard signals from Trump that he wanted to raise pressure on Putin and consider a US Senate bill drafted by Senator Lindsey Graham, but that he had not committed to anything. "I am returning to Germany with cautious optimism that decisions will also be made in America in the coming days to impose further sanctions against Russia," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. G7 leaders agreed on six other statements, about migrant smuggling, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, wildfires, transnational repression and quantum computing. KREMLIN SAYS G7 LOOKS 'RATHER USELESS' Trump said on Monday he needed to be back in Washington as soon as possible due to the situation in the Middle East, where escalating attacks between Iran and Israel have raised risks of a broader regional conflict. A White House official on Tuesday said Trump explained that he returned to the US because it is better to hold high-level National Security Council meetings in person, rather than over the phone. Upon arriving at the summit, Trump said that the then-Group of Eight had been wrong to expel Russia after Putin ordered the occupation of Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Trump was right and said the G7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked "rather useless". Many leaders had hoped to negotiate trade deals with Trump, but the only deal signed was the finalisation of the US-UK deal announced last month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained at the summit after Trump left. Carney also invited non-G7 members Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil, as he tries to shore up alliances elsewhere and diversify Canada's exports away from the United States.
Straits Times
27 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Kneecap rapper in court on terror charge over Hezbollah flag
Member of Kneecap Liam O'Hanna was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert last November. PHOTO: REUTERS LONDON - A member of the provocative Irish rap group Kneecap, charged with a terror offence for allegedly showing support for Hezbollah, was due to appear in a London court June 18. Liam O'Hanna, 27, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert last November. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court. The Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned in the UK and it is an offence to show support for them. Kneecap, which has recently grabbed headlines for brazen statements denouncing the war in Gaza and against Israel, has denied the charge and called for fans to show up outside court and support the singer. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction,' the Belfast band wrote on X last month. The raucous punk-rap group has also said the video which led to the charge was taken out of context. Mr O'Hanna told the audience at South London's Wide Awake Festival in May that the charge was an attempt to 'silence us' after several of their performances were cancelled. Festivalgoers fly a Palestine flag as Liam O'Hanna performs with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O'Dochartaigh, onstage during Wide Awake Festival 2025 at Brockwell Park in south London on May 23. PHOTO: AFP A performance in Scotland was pulled over safety concerns, various shows in Germany were axed, and the UK government ministers had suggested Glastonbury should reconsider their appearance at the popular festival. Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, the group rap in the Irish language as well as English. Formed in 2017, the group is no stranger to controversy. Their lyrics are filled with references to drugs, they have repeatedly clashed with the UK's previous Conservative government and have vocally opposed British rule in Northern Ireland. Last year, the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictional film based on them that scooped multiple awards including at the Sundance festival. 'Unfazed' Mr O'Hanna, Liam Og O Hannaidh in Gaelic, was charged last month after London's Metropolitan Police investigated a video from the festival in Kentish Town, north London, in November 2024. He is accused of displaying a flag 'in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation', police said. Other videos circulating online appear to show a band member shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. The group also apologised this year after a 2023 video emerged appearing to show one singer calling for the death of British Conservative MPs. Rich Peppiatt, who directed the film about Kneecap, told AFP this week the group was 'unfazed' by the legal charge and controversies. Liam O'Hanna (second from left) performs with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain (left) and JJ O'Dochartaigh, beneath a 'Free Palestine' sign onstage during Wide Awake Festival 2025 at Brockwell Park in south London on May 23. PHOTO: AFP 'Even through all the controversy at the moment, they just shrug their shoulders and get on with it,' Mr Peppiatt said. 'They've always been controversial at a local level, and they've always bounced back from it,' he added. In its statement following the charge, the group said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us.' 'We are not the story. Genocide is,' it added. Israel has repeatedly denied that it is committing genocide in its offensive in Gaza, which it claims aims to wipe out Hamas. Prominent British musicians and groups including Paul Weller, Massive Attack, Brian Eno, Pulp and Primal Scream have defended the group and signed a letter denouncing a 'concerted attempt to censor and de-platform Kneecap'. Campaign group Love Music Hate Racism called for supporters to 'defend Mo Chara on June 18 outside Westminster Magistrates Court'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Iran fires hypersonic missiles at Israel as Trump demands Tehran's ‘unconditional surrender'
Israeli anti-missile batteries try to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles over the sky of Tel Aviv. PHOTO: EPA-EFE TEHRAN – Iran said on June 18 it has fired hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest round of overnight strikes between the archfoes, hours after US President Donald Trump demanded the Islamic republic's 'unconditional surrender'. In response to Mr Trump's ultimatum, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a post on X: 'The battle begins'. 'We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,' he said. Mr Trump insists Washington has played no part in ally Israel's bombing campaign, but also warned Iran his patience is wearing thin as the conflict enters a sixth day. Israeli warplanes targeted the Iranian capital before dawn on June 18 after the military issued a warning on social media for civilians in an area known as District 18 to evacuate. Iranian state media reported explosions ricocheting in the Piroozi, Sabalan and Sayyad areas of Tehran. Iranian news websites said Israel was also attacking a university linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards in eastern Iran and the Khojir ballistic missile facility near Tehran. In retaliation, Iran told residents of Tel Aviv to prepare for an attack, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming its hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles were 'repeatedly shaking the shelters' in the commercial hub. 'The 11th wave of the proud Operation Honest Promise 3 using Fattah-1 missiles' was carried out, the Guards said in a statement broadcast on state television. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to track and intercept. Iran also sent a 'swarm of drones' towards Israel, where the army said it intercepted two over the Dead Sea area. World powers have scrambled for an offramp, hoping to prevent the conflict from spiralling into a region-engulfing war. In separate phone calls with his Iranian counterpart and US envoy Steve Witkoff late on June 17, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged a diplomatic solution. Mr Trump fuelled speculation about American intervention when he made a hasty exit from the G-7 summit in Canada, where the leaders of the club of wealthy democracies jointly called for a ceasefire. Back in Washington on June 17, Mr Trump demanded the Islamic republic's 'unconditional surrender'. He also boasted that the United States could easily assassinate Iran's supreme leader. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,' he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Three minutes later, he posted: 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' He met with his National Security Council to discuss the conflict, ending after an hour and 20 minutes with no immediate public statement. While he has repeatedly vowed to avoid wading into the 'forever wars' of the Middle East, Mr Trump ordered the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the region along with a number of US military aircraft. US officials stressed he has not yet made a decision about any intervention. Evacuations Despite international alarm, neither side has backed off from the long-range blitz that began on June 18, when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Israel claims its attacks have killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani as well as his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid. Residential areas in both countries have suffered deadly strikes since the fighting broke out, and foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens. More than 700 foreigners living in Iran have crossed into neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia since Israel launched its campaign, according to government figures. Among those evacuated were citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, along with others from Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, the US, the United Arab Emirates, China and Vietnam, a government source said. The US said it was closing its embassy in Jerusalem until June 20 amid the growing conflict, but there was no announcement about helping Americans leave the 'crisis area'. US President Donald Trump has boasted that the US could easily assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. PHOTO: NYTIMES Fearing violence, many residents of Tehran have fled. Long queues stretched outside bakeries and petrol stations as people rushed to stock up on fuel and basic supplies. A cyberattack on June 17 crippled Sepah Bank, one of Iran's main state-owned banks, the Fars news agency reported. With air raid sirens regularly screaming over Tel Aviv, some people relocated to an underground parking lot below a shopping mall. 'We've decided to permanently set camp here until it's all clear, I guess,' Mr Mali Papirany, 30, said. Nuclear facilities After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel said its surprise air campaign was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, an ambition Tehran denies. Iranian media reported several explosions on June 17 in the central city of Isfahan, home to nuclear facilities. The UN's nuclear watchdog said there appeared to have been 'direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls' at Iran's Natanz facility. Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding its own atomic activities, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says it has 90 nuclear warheads. The conflict derailed a running series of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, with Iran saying after the start of Israel's campaign that it would not negotiate with the US while under attack. French President Emmanuel Macron said Mr Trump has a critical role to play in restarting diplomacy with Iran, where attempts at regime change would bring 'chaos'. China accused Mr Trump of 'pouring oil' on the conflict, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu of being 'the biggest threat to the security of the region'. Since June 13, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to Netanyahu's office. Iran said on June 15 that Israeli strikes killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
