Politics
Trump Remains Committed To Stance On Israel-Iran Conflict: ‘Make A Deal’
President Donald Trump is holding firm on his decision to refrain from offensive U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict as the Israeli government is urging the president to launch an attack on a heavily-fortified, underground nuclear facility in Iran.
Axios on Saturday reported that Israel has been lobbying for a U.S. strike on the Fordow uranium enrichment site, which is built into a mountain and deep underground. Israel lacks the bunker buster bombs and large bomber aircraft needed in order to strike the site, which it says is essential to eliminating Iran’s nuclear program.
“The entire operation… really has to be completed with the elimination of Fordow,”Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Fox News on Friday.
A Trump Administration source confirmed to Axios that Israel is indeed lobbying for a U.S. strike, but dismissed claims that Trump is considering it at this time. The president seemingly addressed the request directly late Saturday night in a Truth Social post, in which he remained committed to the administration’s stance.
“The U.S. had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight,” Trump wrote, reiterating an earlier statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stressed that Israel carried out unilateral action against Iran. The secretary also stressed that the U.S. will respond only if directly attacked by Iran or its proxies, which Trump’s post also reiterated.
“If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” he said. “However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!”
Trump expanded on his position by urging the two sides to come to an agreement in a follow-up post Sunday morning. “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!” the president wrote.
He continued by pointing to a number of diplomatic resolutions achieved during his first term, including breakthroughs in conflicts between Serbia and Kosovo, as well as Egypt and Ethiopia.
“There is peace, at least for now, because of my intervention, and it will stay that way! Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Trump went on to say. “Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!”
Trump’s comments come a day after Israel continued to target military, nuclear and infrastructure sites in Iran, who responded by launching a fifth wave of ballistic missiles and drones. Saturday’s attacks proved to be the most costly for Israel since the current conflict erupted on Friday, as several civilians were killed when Iranian missiles struck apartment buildings.
At least 33 people are still missing as search and rescue crews comb through the site of a partially collapsed apartment building in Central Israel.
The Israeli Defense Forces have stressed that current operations against Iran will last for “weeks, not days,” according to a report from CNN. The Trump Administration has “not critiqued” Israel’s strategy in closed-door meetings and is alright with the timetable, an unnamed Israeli official told the outlet.
