
Talks between the United States and Iran about nuclear weapons were supposed to take place today, but they’ve been canceled. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the former U.S. president, warned that if Iran attacks American bases, the U.S. will hit back harder than ever before.
Trump has spoken publicly for the first time about the rising tensions between Israel and Iran. He said he hopes the fighting can end soon, but he also made it clear that if Iran targets the U.S. in any way, the American military will strike back with massive force.
The situation in the Middle East has gotten much worse. Iran launched a large number of missiles at Israel overnight, in response to Israeli airstrikes that happened on Friday. At least nine people were killed in these new attacks, and over 100 were injured. The victims included both children and elderly people, from ages 10 to 80.
In response, Israel launched new attacks of its own, targeting Iran’s Ministry of Defense in Tehran, as well as other sites they believe are connected to Iran’s nuclear program. Israel also hit an oil depot and a fuel tank near Tehran, which caused a big fire. Iranian officials said the fire is now under control.
Rescue workers in Iran are still searching through damaged buildings, trying to find people who might be trapped under the rubble.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said these strikes will slow down Iran’s nuclear ambitions for years. He warned that even stronger attacks are coming, saying Iran hasn’t seen anything yet compared to what Israel has planned.
Trump, in a message on his social media platform, made it clear that the U.S. was not involved in the Israeli attacks on Iran. He stressed that the United States wants to stay out of this conflict, but also warned Iran not to provoke America. If Iran does attack, Trump said the U.S. military will respond in a way the world has never seen.
Despite these threats, Trump also said that peace is still possible. He believes a deal could be made between Iran and Israel to stop the violence.
Earlier this spring, Trump gave Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, 60 days to come to an agreement on a nuclear deal. He warned that there would be serious consequences if Iran refused. At the same time, he asked Israel to hold off on launching attacks to give the talks a chance.