Speculation on US joining conflict in Iran
Iran's Supreme Leader has refused Donald Trump's earlier call for unconditional surrender, warning US attacks will "result in irreparable damage for them". US correspondent Toni Waterman spoke to Charlotte Cook.
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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Israel attacks Iranian nuclear sites, missile damages Israeli hospital
By Jana Choukeir, Alexander Cornwell and Crispian Balmer for Reuters Smoke billows from Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in southern Israel following an Iranian missile attack. Photo: JOHN WESSELS/AFP Israel struck a key Iranian nuclear site on Thursday (local time) and Iranian missiles hit an Israeli hospital, as President Donald Trump kept the world guessing about whether the US would join Israel in air strikes seeking to destroy Tehran's nuclear facilities. A week of Israeli air and missile strikes against its major rival has wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command, damaged its nuclear capabilities and killed hundreds of people, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed at least two dozen civilians in Israel. The Israeli military said it targeted the Khondab nuclear reactor in Iran's Arak overnight, including its partially built heavy-water research reactor. Heavy-water reactors pose a nuclear proliferation risk, because they can easily produce plutonium, which - like enriched uranium - can be used to make the core of an atom bomb. Iranian media reported two projectiles hitting an area near the facility, which had been evacuated, and there were no reports of radiation threats. Israel's military said it also struck a site in the area of Natanz, which it said contained components and specialised equipment used to advance nuclear weapons development. On Thursday morning, several Iranian missiles struck populated areas in Israel, including a hospital in the southern part of the country, according to an Israeli military official. Trails of missiles and interception efforts were visible in the skies over Tel Aviv, with explosions heard, as incoming projectiles were intercepted. Israeli media also reported direct hits in central Israel. Emergency services said five people were seriously injured in the attacks and dozens of others hurt in three separate locations. People were still trapped in a building in a south Tel Aviv neighbourhood, they added. About a dozen mostly European and African embassies and diplomatic missions were located just a few hundred metres from the strike on Tel Aviv. Images showed buildings extensively damaged in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv and emergency workers helping residents, including children. Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, in southern Israel, reported it had sustained damage. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it targeted Israeli military and intelligence headquarters near the hospital. The worst-ever conflict between the two regional powers has raised fears that world powers would be drawn in and further destabilise the Middle East. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump declined to say if he had decided whether to join Israel's air campaign. "I may do it. I may not do it," he said. "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do." In later remarks, Trump said Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting. Israeli air defence systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over Haifa amid a fresh barrage of Iranian rockets. Photo: JALAA MAREY/AFP "We may do that," he said, adding "it's a little late" for such talks. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rebuked Trump's earlier call for Iran to surrender in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. "Any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "The Iranian nation will not surrender." Iran denied it sought nuclear weapons and said its programme was for peaceful purposes only. Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Tehran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva to urge Iran to return to the negotiating table, a German diplomatic source told Reuters. Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. Trump veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the war to suggesting the United States might join it. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations, but the prospect of a US strike against Iran had exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought Trump to power, with some of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war. Senior US Senate Democrats urged Trump to prioritise diplomacy and seek a binding agreement to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, while expressing concern about his administration's approach. "We are alarmed by the Trump administration's failure to provide answers to fundamental questions," they said. "By law, the president must consult Congress and seek authorisation, if he is considering taking the country to war. "He owes Congress and the American people a strategy for US engagement in the region." In social media posts on Tuesday, Trump mused about killing Khamenei. Asked what his reaction would be if Israel did kill Iran's Supreme Leader with the assistance of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "I do not even want to discuss this possibility, I do not want to." Putin said all sides should look for ways to end hostilities in a way that ensured both Iran's right to peaceful nuclear power and Israel's right to the unconditional security of the Jewish state. Since Friday, Iran has fired about 400 missiles at Israel, some 40 of which have pierced air defences, killing 24 people - all of them civilians - according to Israeli authorities. The Iranian missile salvoes marked the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that a significant number of projectiles fired from Iran had penetrated defences, killing Israelis in their homes. Iran reported at least 224 deaths in Israeli attacks, mostly civilians, but had not updated that toll for days. US-based Iranian activist news agency HRANA said 639 people were killed in the Israeli attacks and 1329 injured as of 18 June. Reuters could not independently verify the report. - Reuters
Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Iranian nuclear sites attacked as missile hits Israeli hospital
Israel struck a key Iranian nuclear site and Iranian missiles hit an Israeli hospital, as President Donald Trump kept the world guessing about whether the US would join Israel in air strikes seeking to destroy Tehran's nuclear facilities. A week of Israeli air and missile strikes against its major rival has wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command, damaged its nuclear capabilities and killed hundreds of people, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed at least two dozen civilians in Israel. The Israeli military said it targeted the Khondab nuclear reactor in Iran's Arak overnight, including its partially-built heavy-water research reactor. Heavy-water reactors pose a nuclear proliferation risk because they can easily produce plutonium, which, like enriched uranium, can be used to make the core of an atom bomb. Iranian media reported two projectiles hitting an area near the facility, which had been evacuated and there were no reports of radiation threats. Israel's military said it also struck a site in the area of Natanz, which it said contains components and specialised equipment used to advance nuclear weapons development. On Thursday morning, several Iranian missiles struck populated areas in Israel, including a hospital in the southern part of the country, according to an Israeli military official. Trails of missiles and interception efforts were visible in the skies over Tel Aviv, with explosions heard as incoming projectiles were intercepted. Israeli media also reported direct hits in central Israel. Emergency services said five people had been seriously injured in the attacks and dozens of others hurt in three separate locations. People were still trapped in a building in a south Tel Aviv neighbourhood, they added. Around a dozen mostly European and African embassies and diplomatic missions are located just a few hundred metres from the strike on Tel Aviv. Images showed buildings extensively damaged in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv and emergency workers helping residents, including children. Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, in southern Israel, reported it had sustained damage. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it was targeting Israeli military and intelligence headquarters near the hospital. The worst-ever conflict between the two regional powers has raised fears that it will draw in world powers and further destabilize the Middle East. Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Wednesday, Trump declined to say if he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's air campaign. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. Trump in later remarks said Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting. "We may do that," he said, adding "it's a little late" for such talks. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rebuked Trump's earlier call for Iran to surrender in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday. "Any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage," he said. "The Iranian nation will not surrender." Iran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons and says its program is for peaceful purposes only. The International Atomic Energy Agency said last week Tehran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva to urge Iran to return to the negotiating table, a German diplomatic source told Reuters. Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the war to suggesting the United States might join it. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. But the prospect of a US strike against Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought Trump to power, with some of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war. Senior US Senate Democrats urged Trump to prioritise diplomacy and seek a binding agreement to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, while expressing concern about his administration's approach. "We are alarmed by the Trump administration's failure to provide answers to fundamental questions. By law, the president must consult Congress and seek authorization if he is considering taking the country to war," they said in a statement. "He owes Congress and the American people a strategy for US engagement in the region." In social media posts on Tuesday, Trump mused about killing Khamenei. Russian President Vladimir Putin, asked what his reaction would be if Israel did kill Iran's Supreme Leader with the assistance of the United States, said on Thursday: "I do not even want to discuss this possibility. I do not want to." Putin said all sides should look for ways to end hostilities in a way that ensured both Iran's right to peaceful nuclear power and Israel's right to the unconditional security of the Jewish state. Since Friday, Iran has fired around 400 missiles at Israel, some 40 of which have pierced air defences, killing 24 people, all of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities. The Iranian missile salvoes mark the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that a significant number of projectiles fired from Iran have penetrated defences, killing Israelis in their homes. Iran has reported at least 224 deaths in Israeli attacks, mostly civilians, but has not updated that toll for days. US-based Iranian activist news agency HRANA said 639 people had been killed in the Israeli attacks and 1,329 injured as of June 18. Reuters could not independently verify the report.
1News
4 hours ago
- 1News
'Nobody knows': Trump won't say if he will move forward with strikes on Iran
US President Donald Trump would not say whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Tehran warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens. "I may do it, I may not do it," Trump said in an exchange with reporters at the White House. "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do." Trump added that it's not "too late" for Iran to give up its nuclear program as he continues to weigh direct US involvement in Israel's military operations aimed at crushing Tehran's nuclear program. "Nothing's too late," Trump said. "I can tell you this. Iran's got a lot of trouble." "Nothing is finished until it is finished,' Trump added. But "the next week is going to be very big— maybe less than a week". ADVERTISEMENT Trump also offered a terse response to Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's refusal to heed to his call for Iran to submit to an unconditional surrender. This photo released on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, shows Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Source: Associated Press) "I say good luck," Trump said. Khamenei earlier warned that any United States strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will "result in irreparable damage for them" and that his country would not bow to Trump's call for surrender. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Wednesday that the Pentagon was providing possible options to Trump as he decides next steps on Iran. Trump said Tuesday the US knows where Khamenei is hiding but doesn't want him killed — "for now". "He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," Trump said. ADVERTISEMENT Trump's increasingly muscular comments toward the Iranian government follow him urging Tehran's 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives as he cut short his participation in an international summit earlier this week to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including what will happen to food after supermarket blaze, Trump's dithering over the Middle East, and winter car care tips. (Source: 1News) Trump said that the Iranian officials continue to reach out to the White House as they're "getting the hell beaten out of them" by Israel. But he added there's a "big difference between now and a week ago" in Tehran's negotiating position. "They've suggested that they come to the White House— that's, you know, courageous," Trump said. Iran's mission to the United Nations refuted Trump's claim in a statement on social media. "No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to 'take out' Iran's Supreme Leader." The US president said earlier this week Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to serve as a mediator with Iran. But Trump said he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine. "I said, 'Do me a favour, mediate your own'," Trump said he told Putin. "I said, 'Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later'." ADVERTISEMENT (Contributor/Getty Images) The comments were a shift from Trump who earlier this week said he was "open" to Putin's offer to mediate. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier Wednesday that Moscow has cautioned Washington against offering direct military assistance to Israel. "We are warning Washington against even speculative, hypothetical considerations of the sort," Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency. "That would be a step drastically destabilizing the situation as a whole." The Russia-Iran relationship has deepened since Putin launched a war on Ukraine in February 2022, with Tehran providing Moscow with drones, ballistic missiles, and other support, according to US intelligence findings. Trump is also facing deep skepticism about deepening US involvement in the Mideast crisis from some of his most ardent supporters. Trump during his 2024 run for the White House promised voters he would quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and keep the US out of costly conflicts. Steve Bannon, who served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first administration, on Wednesday said the administration should tread carefully. ADVERTISEMENT "This is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world, ok?" Bannon told reporters at an event sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. "With 92 million people. This is not something you play around with. You have to think this through. And the American people have to be on board. You can't just dump it on them." Bannon and other Trump allies, including Turning Point USA's Charlie Kirk and conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, have raised concerns that direct US involvement in the conflict could be seen as a betrayal to some members of Trump's coalition and potentially cause a schism in MAGA world. To be certain, some Trump backers are supportive of the president taking military action against Iran and downplay the risk of the US getting mired in a conflict. "In terms of US involvement in military action, there is zero possibility of American boots on the ground in Iran," Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said. Trump pushed back at the notion that deepening US involvement could impact his standing with bis base. "My supporters are more in love with me today, and I'm in love with them more than they were even at election time when we had a total landslide," Trump said.
