Washington (TDI): As deadly exchanges continue between Israel and Iran, US President Donald Trump said Sunday that both sides might need to “fight it out” before any peace agreement can be reached, though he maintained that a deal was still possible and even likely.
“I think it’s time for a deal,” Trump said while speaking to reporters at the White House before departing for the G7 summit in Canada. “But sometimes they have to fight it out,” he added, referring to the increasingly violent conflict between the two regional powers.
Trump emphasized that the United States was not involved in Israel’s latest strikes on Iran’s nuclear and intelligence infrastructure, but warned Tehran against any retaliation targeting American interests.
“If we are attacked in any way, shape, or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” he wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Read More: Iran’s Retaliation Shakes Israel, Tensions Soar
This is the first time that Iran and Israel, long-time adversaries often engaged through proxies, are openly trading missile fire on this scale. The latest round of violence began Friday, when Israeli airstrikes reportedly hit key Iranian sites, martyring senior military officials and nuclear scientists. Tehran has since retaliated with missile barrages on Israeli cities, sparking fears of a much wider conflict across the region.
Trump’s remarks came amid reports that he had previously blocked a proposed Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Read More: UN Middle East Summit Postponed After Iran-Israel Escalation
Despite the mounting death toll on both sides, Trump expressed optimism that peace could be within reach. “There are many calls and meetings now taking place,” he said, suggesting that diplomacy is actively underway. “We can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, struck a defiant tone. In an interview with Fox News, he brushed aside questions about US influence on Israeli decision-making. “We do what we need to do,” he said.
Netanyahu suggested that Israel’s campaign could result in “regime change” in Tehran, calling Iran an “existential threat” that must be confronted.
Netanyahu has vowed to target all elements of Iran’s ruling regime, while Iran continues to fire missiles in retaliation for Israeli attacks. The violence has already left scores dead, including women and children, and devastated civilian infrastructure in both countries.
