Trump To Decide US Involvement in Israel–Iran Conflict \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israel and Iran exchanged intense military strikes as U.S. President Trump set a two‑week deadline to decide on possible U.S. intervention. Diplomatic efforts remain active, but tensions spike after Iranian missiles hit an Israeli hospital.
Quick Looks
- Trump to decide on military intervention in two weeks amid diplomatic possibility.
- Iran fires missiles and drones; Israel strikes back nuclear and military targets.
- Major hospital hit in Israel; casualty figures mount on both sides.
- Iran launches diplomatic outreach to Europe despite military escalation.
Deep Look
The Israel-Iran conflict took a dangerously escalatory turn on Thursday as both nations exchanged intense strikes, including direct hits on civilian and military targets. At the heart of the crisis is U.S. President Donald Trump, who signaled a pivotal moment in American foreign policy: a looming decision within two weeks on whether to involve U.S. military forces directly in the Middle East conflict. Trump’s potential intervention hinges on the viability of renewed diplomatic negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
In a statement delivered by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump emphasized that “there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future,” and that this uncertainty is why he has delayed finalizing a military decision. The remarks came as U.S. intelligence and military leaders reportedly updated Trump on options for targeting Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility—an underground, heavily fortified site considered unreachable by conventional munitions. Only the U.S. military’s bunker-buster bombs could effectively strike the facility, which is viewed as central to Iran’s weapons-grade uranium capabilities.
Meanwhile, tensions exploded on the ground as Iranian missile attacks struck Israel’s Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba and several residential neighborhoods near Tel Aviv. The hospital, which serves around a million residents, was partly evacuated in advance, reducing casualties, but at least 80 patients and medical personnel were injured. In total, over 240 people were wounded in the latest attacks. The Israeli military responded swiftly, launching another series of high-intensity airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, including the Arak heavy water reactor and enrichment centers in Natanz and Isfahan.
Defense Minister Israel Katz pointed the finger directly at Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for his elimination as a strategic objective, stating that “in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed confidence in U.S. support, saying from the destroyed Soroka Medical Center, “I trust President Trump will do what’s best for America. I can tell you that they’re already helping a lot.”
Since hostilities broke out a week ago, Israel has targeted Iran’s top nuclear scientists, military installations, and command centers in a coordinated air campaign that killed at least 639 people in Iran, including 263 civilians, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights organization. Iran has responded with massive aerial barrages—450 missiles and more than 1,000 drones aimed at Israel—though Israeli air defenses have intercepted the majority.
One ballistic missile fired Thursday reportedly carried cluster munitions, which disperse bomblets over a wide area, causing indiscriminate damage and posing a long-term hazard. While Iranian officials denied targeting civilians, claiming the missile hit a military tech facility operated by Israel’s elite C4i unit, an Israeli official said there was no intelligence to support the claim that the hospital was intentionally targeted.
As the conflict intensifies, many Israeli hospitals have implemented war-time emergency plans, moving patients into underground shelters and converting parking garages into makeshift medical wards. After Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, Israel activated a fortified subterranean blood bank—part of a broader strategy to sustain medical operations during prolonged warfare.
Despite ongoing military exchanges, diplomatic avenues have begun to emerge. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to travel to Geneva to meet with the European Union’s foreign policy chief and representatives from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The talks aim to assess whether there’s any room to restart the 2015 nuclear deal or explore a new framework to limit Iran’s enrichment capabilities. Still, Iran’s public posture remains combative. Supreme Leader Khamenei rejected U.S. overtures, warning that American military action would result in “irreparable damage.” Meanwhile, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf denounced Trump’s strategy of using military threats to gain leverage in nuclear negotiations, calling it delusional and provocative.
Trump’s decision in the coming weeks could significantly shift the balance in the Middle East. His administration has reasserted maximum pressure on Iran, a continuation of policies following his 2018 withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). At the same time, the administration sees the current conflict as an opportunity to force Tehran into a more comprehensive deal—one that includes limitations on missile development and regional militancy, in addition to nuclear constraints.
In targeting the Arak reactor, Israeli jets struck a facility long at the center of nuclear proliferation fears. Although Iran had agreed to redesign Arak to prevent plutonium production under the JCPOA, the work was never completed. Israeli officials said the strike aimed to prevent the facility from ever being restored for weapons development. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it has lost “continuity of knowledge” regarding Iran’s heavy water stockpile due to Tehran’s restrictions on inspector access.
As the world watches, the fate of diplomacy and potential war in the Middle East may now hinge on Trump’s final decision—a moment with consequences that could reverberate globally.
Trump To Decide US
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