Iran-Israel Conflict Continues, President Trump: Embarrassing And Throwing Human Lives

JAKARTA - United States President Donald Trump said Iran should sign a nuclear deal, condemning the death toll as Israel and Iran continue attacking each other who had entered their fifth day on Tuesday.

President Trump left the G7 summit meeting in Canada a day earlier due to the situation in the Middle East, the White House said.

"Iran should have signed the 'deal' that I asked them to sign. It's a shame, and a waste of human lives. Simply put, Iran should not have nuclear weapons. I've said it over and over again! Everyone must evacuate Tehran!" wrote President Trump on his Truth Social social media platform, which appears to refer to the US nuclear deal with Iran, as quoted by Reuters on June 17.

Iranian media reported a massive explosion and air defense fire in Tehran on Tuesday morning. Air defenses were also activated in Natanz, home to the main nuclear installation 320 km (200 miles) away, news website Asriran reported.

A White House aide said it was not true that the US attacked Iran. Defense Minister Pete Hegseth told Fox News President Trump was still eyeing a nuclear deal with Iran, adding the US would defend its assets in the region.

In Israel, airstrike sirens flared up in Tel Aviv after midnight and explosions were heard as Iranian missiles targeted the country again.

Sources told Reuters Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to urge Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

In return, Iran will show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, according to two Iranian sources and three regional sources.

"If President Trump is serious about diplomacy and interested in ending this war, the next step will be very important," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told X.

"Israel must stop its aggression, and if military aggression against us is not completely stopped, our response will continue," he continued.

Originally, the sixth round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations would be held by do Oman on Sunday.

Israel launched airstrikes in the "Raising Lion" operation targeting Iran's nuclear and military facilities on Friday morning. The attack was retaliated by Iran, which launched retaliation against a number of targets in Israel.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack, saying Iran had enough enriched uranium to make several bombs and a few days, so it needed to act against "an imminent threat", as quoted by The Times of Israel.

Tehran itself says it has the right to peaceful nuclear power, but its rapidly growing uranium enrichment program has raised concerns in the West and across the Gulf, the country wants to develop nuclear weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Monday that Israel was committed to eliminating the threat posed by Iran's ballistic and nuclear missile programs, adding, "If this can be achieved in other ways, it's good. However, we gave him 60 days."

Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of the Israeli attack, President Trump said he had given Iran 60 days to reach an agreement to stop enrichment of uranium and the time had run out without a deal.

Iran itself says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.