U.S. President Donald Trump has summoned the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House following rising tensions between Israel and Iran. This comes after Trump issued a stern warning for Iranians to evacuate Tehran immediately. Despite the tensions, Pentagon officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, confirmed that the U.S. has no plans to launch a strike on Iran but is maintaining a strong defensive posture in the region.
The conflict escalated after Israel launched multiple airstrikes on Iran, severely damaging Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure and reportedly killing over 224 people. Iran responded with missile attacks that killed 24 in Israel and injured hundreds. The United States has since repositioned its warships and aircraft in the region to protect its interests and troops from further conflict fallout.
Trump emphasized that his administration’s goal remains preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. While addressing Fox News, Hegseth reaffirmed America’s preference for peace and highlighted the administration’s ongoing efforts to broker a new nuclear agreement after scrapping the 2015 Obama-era deal in 2018. Trump continues to insist that Iran’s nuclear ambitions pose a serious threat.
Amid the rising tensions, Trump cut short his appearance at the G7 summit in Canada. Although he signed a major trade agreement with the United Kingdom during the summit, he left early to return to Washington and manage the growing Middle East crisis. The White House confirmed the urgency of the situation necessitated the president’s early departure.
In a social media post, Trump blamed Iran for the crisis, criticizing them for not accepting the proposed nuclear deal. He reiterated his stance that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons and stressed the importance of evacuating Tehran to save lives. Trump concluded by calling the situation “big stuff,” expressing hope for peace while underscoring the serious nature of the threat.
