BEERSHEBA, June 20: President Donald Trump announced he will decide within two weeks whether the U.S. will directly engage in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. This comes amid rising hopes for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran, even as both sides continue military exchanges into the seventh day of open conflict.
Trump is reportedly considering a strike on Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility, a heavily fortified site buried under a mountain. His message, delivered via White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, coincided with intense Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, including the city of Rasht and Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor.
The conflict intensified after Iranian missiles struck a hospital in Beersheba, southern Israel, injuring over 240 people. In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz openly threatened Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The Soroka Medical Centre, which suffered serious damage, had already moved many patients underground.
Iran claims the hospital was not the intended target and insists it was aiming at a nearby Israeli military tech facility. Meanwhile, Israeli air defenses have intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones, but at least 24 Israelis have been killed. Iranian casualties are significantly higher, with over 650 dead, including civilians.
Diplomatic efforts are beginning to take shape, with Iran’s foreign minister set to meet EU, UK, French, and German officials in Geneva. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized a “two-week window” for a peaceful resolution.
Despite the diplomatic overtures, Iranian leaders remain defiant. Supreme Leader Khamenei warned that U.S. involvement would result in “irreparable damage.” Iran continues to deny intentions to build nuclear weapons but has enriched uranium close to weapons-grade levels. Israeli strikes have targeted key nuclear and military facilities, including Fordo, Natanz, and the Arak reactor, which Israel claims is being prepared for plutonium-based weapons development. (AP)
