12 hours ago
Trump reportedly approves Iran attack plans, but waits to give go-ahead
LAST UPDATE
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1 hr ago
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has reportedly approved war plans that include plans of attack on Iran, but has not given final approval for action to be taken.
According to multiple local news outlets, the US President is withholding final approval on the airstrike plans until Iran confirms if it will discuss ending their nuclear programme.
Trump was presented with plans during a meeting yesterday,
ABC News reports
, and is more comfortable with the idea of US involvement in Iran – despite previously seeking to avoid military action.
Asked if he would join Israeli strikes on Iran yesterday, Trump told reporters
: 'I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.'
He said that Tehran had reached out to seek negotiations. Iran has warned that American involvement will escalate the conflict into a total regional war.
The Trump Administration has sought to get Tehran to commit to disabling its nuclear weapons programme since returning to the White House in January. The US President gave conflicting reports on the success of negotiations.
Talks were disrupted by an unprovoked Israeli strike on Iran last week, which it said was pre-emptive and sought to disable Tehran's nuclear capabilities. Missile strikes between the two countries have continued since then.
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Early-morning strikes from Iran hit a hospital in the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva, as Tehran launched another wave of missile attacks. Local media in Iran said Israeli warplanes bombed nuclear facilities overnight.
The Israeli foreign ministry
confirmed the attack on social media
and posted footage appearing to show moments after an airstrike hit the Soroka Medical Centre facility.
As well as treating members of the public, the Soroka Hospital is known to treat Israeli soldiers injured while fighting in Gaza.
The Soroka Hospital is known to treat Israeli soldiers injured while fighting in Gaza.
Israel DFA
Israel DFA
Early reports indicate that at least 32 people were injured in the latest wave of missile strikes on Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the missile barrages between the two countries will not stop until Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is killed.
Iran seems set on continuing its retaliatory attack on Israel, despite the death toll in its own nation climbing. Tehran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.
It has not issued an updated toll since then. At least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office.
- Includes reporting by AFP
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