Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Iran and Israel to reach a peace agreement, though he suggested the conflict might need to escalate further before that becomes possible.
Speaking to reporters amid a dramatic exchange of missile strikes between the two nations, Trump remarked, “I think it’s time for a deal. But sometimes they have to fight it out. We’ll see what happens,” before departing for a G7 summit in Canada.
The latest clashes mark a dangerous turning point in the long-standing hostility between Iran and Israel, which has previously played out through proxy wars and covert operations. This recent escalation—marked by direct attacks—has raised alarms over the possibility of a wider regional war.
According to DAILY POST, the conflict was triggered on Friday when Israeli forces launched strikes that reportedly killed high-ranking Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, and targeted military installations, nuclear facilities, and civilian areas.
When asked whether he had advised Israel to halt its airstrikes, Trump declined to respond. Meanwhile, a senior U.S. official claimed Trump had blocked an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.