DONALD Trump has reportedly approved US airstrikes on Iran and is waiting to give the final order as the conflict rages on in the Middle East.
An Israeli hospital and an Iranian nuclear reactor were struck in a sixth night of heavy exchange between the warring nations.
5
5
5
5
5
Trump approved the plans to attack Iran on Tuesday night but is holding off in case Tehran agrees to abandon its nuclear programme, reports the Wall Street Journal citing senior intelligence sources.
If given the go-ahead, the plans would see the US join Israel in pounding Iran’s nuke sites – which Tehran has warned would spark “all out war”.
Overnight, Israel’s main southern hospital – Soroka Hospital in Beersheba – was directly hit by an Iranian ballistic missile and suffered “extensive damage”, a spokesperson said.
Israel targeted Iran’s heavy water reaction at Arak, Iranian state TV said, after it issued an evacuation order for there and other areas.
The UK is yet to declare whether it would stand with the US should Trump decide to go ahead with military action.
But Sir Keir Starmer has been warned by Attorney General Lord Hermer that the UK’s involvement could be illegal.
It comes as Sir Keir held a Cobra crisis meeting on Wednesday with a potential US-led strike reportedly being discussed.
Trump has become heavily involved in the conflict over the last 48 hours with him speaking on the potential airstrikes from the White House as he said: “I may do it, I may not do it.”
It is believed that the US may choose to first attack Iran’s Fordow nuclear development area, according to the Telegraph.
This would likely be done by a fearsome 15-ton mega bomb known as a Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb that can penetrate deep inside the ground before blowing up.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office Trump did say the US is the only nation capable of blitzing the key nuke site.
But he added: “That doesn’t mean I’m going to do it – at all.”
Trump also gave a two-word warning to Iran‘s Supreme Leader after he revealed Tehran was trying to run back to the negotiating table since the conflict broke out.
When a White House reporter asked Trump about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s declaration that he will “never surrender”, Trump simply responded: “Good luck.”
Trump even directly threatened Khamenei as he said the US knows where he is hiding but will not kill him “for now”.
Khamenei responded by saying: “The battle begins.”
“This nation will never surrender,” he said in a speech read on state television.
“America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage.”
US officials indicated the next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial in determining whether diplomacy could ever be achieved with Iran, ABC News reports.
It comes as warmongering Russia ironically warned the world sits “on the brink of catastrophe” as the raging Middle East conflict entered day six.
Stay up to date with the latest on Israel vs Iran with The Sun’s live blog below…
-
Iran blitzes Israeli hospital
Iran has struck a hospital in southern Israel with a ballistic missile.
Soroka Hospital in Beersheba suffereed a direct hit.
The extent of the damage is not yet known.
-
Israeli details why Iran cannot have nukes
-
Fears grow as Trump’s ‘Doomsday Plane’ move close to Washington
Donald Trump’s nuclear-hardened “Doomsday Plane” has touched down near to Washington DC as speculation grows over a strike on Iran.
The impervious US Air Force E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft landed at Joint Base Andrews under the cover of darkness on Tuesday – hours after Trump’s crisis meeting in the White House Situation Room.
Eager aviation followers managed to track the huge Boeing as it went on the move and went on a highly irregular flight path from Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The craft took off from Bossier City and traveled along the coast before landing at the airbase in Maryland at 10:01pm.
The flight lasted for over four hours with never-before-seen call signs also being noticed by online trackers of ORDER01 instead of the typical ORDER6.
Its movement has sparked fears that it could be a clear indication of Trump and the US joining the war against Iran.
-
Inside Iran’s nuclear fortress the US wants to dismantle
-
Britain will NEVER be safe until Iran’s nuke scheme is crushed, Israeli ambassador says
Britain will NEVER be safe until Iran’s nuke scheme is crushed…this is our Churchill moment, Israeli ambassador says -
Iran blows up Israeli school buses in horror strike
This is the chilling aftermath of a huge ballistic rocket blast by Iran which blew up a line of Israeli school buses.
A 30-foot crater sat just yards from the charred hulk of the bus laid bare the destructive power of the Iranian missiles terrorising Israel since Friday.
The rocket was fired more than 1,000 miles and armed with a tonne of explosives.
It narrowly missed dozens of homes before thundering into a bus depot site.
Locals cowering in shelters nearby felt the earth move as the blast delivered a fireball coupled with a shrapnel shockwave which wiped out ten buses at 8.48am on Tuesday.
Credit: Doug Seeburg 
Credit: Doug Seeburg 
Credit: Doug Seeburg -
China accuses Trump of ‘pouring oil’ on conflict
China has accused President Trump of “pouring oil” onto continuing conflict between Iran and Israel by ordering Tehran to evacuate earlier this week.
Asked about Trump’s remarks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said: “Fanning the flames, pouring oil, making threats and mounting pressure will not help to promote the de-escalation of the situation, but will only intensify and widen the conflict.
“The Chinese side calls on all relevant parties, especially countries with special influence on Israel, to shoulder their responsibilities, take immediate measures to de-escalate tensions, and prevent the conflict from expanding and spreading.”
-
‘We’re looking for a total and complete victory’ – Trump
-
Israel will achieve goals in Iran within a week or two, IDF says
Israel will achieve its goals in Iran within a week or two, the IDF has said.
It comes after a major explosion could be heard around 5am in Tehran this morning, following other explosions that erupted earlier in the predawn darkness.
At least one strike appeared to target Tehran’s eastern neighbourhood of Hakimiyeh, where the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has an academy.
Israel earlier warned they could strike a neighbourhood south of Mehrabad International Airport, which includes residential neighbourhoods, military installations, pharmaceutical companies and industrial firms.
Israel also claimed that it had killed Iran’s Gen. Ali Shadmani, whom Israel described as the country most senior remaining military commander, in Tehran.
-
Iran shares footage of them sending off missiles
-
Iran is not asking Russia for military assistance – Putin
-
Israeli civilians spend another night in shelters amid Iranian bombings
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: EPA 
Credit: AP 
Credit: Reuters -
Trump’s message to Netanyahu
Donald Trump was asked what he told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
The President said he speaks to the Israeli leader “everyday”, and that he tells him to “keep going” and that he’s “a good man”.
Trump added: “He’s been treated very unfairly by his country.
“He’s a war-time president and he’s going through this nonsense. It’s ridiculous.”
Credit: Reuters -
Iran’s mad mullahs must realise their despotic regime is crumbling – and it’s time to surrender
Backed into a corner with their despotic Islamic regime creaking, will the mad mullahs in charge of Iran realise it’s time to surrender?
Donald Trump has now moved decisively behind Israel and British RAF jets are joining in a huge US-led Armada in a show of military might in the region.
Israeli strikes have already taken out senior commanders and done huge damage to Iran’s ability to attack or defend itself.
It has also struck deep underground at the rogue state’s nuclear bunkers.
Thanks to Israel’s efforts, Trump can now demand a total dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The world doesn’t need another long and gruelling war destroying innocent lives and damaging global trade.
Israel has done us all a favour in destabilising Iran’s regime and driving it back to the negotiating table.
-
Pentagon has given Trump options for Iran – Hegseth
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has revealed the Pentagon was providing possible options to President Donald Trump as he decides his next steps on Iran.
Though he fell short of confirming whether the military was planning to assist with Israeli strikes, an action that could risk dragging America into a wider war in the Middle East.
Hegseth said “maximum force protection” was being provided for US troops in the Middle East and that it is Trump’s decision whether to provide Israel a “bunker buster” bomb to strike at the core of Iran’s nuclear program.
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
-
Israel means business with strikes
BY Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital)
When I was in Israel just a few months ago, top politicians and military brass were clear – the “head of the snake”, Iran, must be stopped.
So it came as little surprise when Israel pulled the trigger and blitzed Iran’s key nuke facilities last week.
Western nations have called for calm – but what is now clear is that Israel has no intention of waiting for diplomatic resolution anymore.
Trump has now fanned the flames of speculation that the US will join the military campaign as the door he appeared to leave open to nuclear negotiations starts to close.
But Israel appears set on ploughing on with its mission to fully disable Iran’s nuke scheme with or without the might of the US.
The endgame remains uncertain as sirens screech in both Israel and Iran as missiles hurtle through the sky.
What is clear though is the Middle East sits on the knife-edge of all-out war as the conflict threatens to drag in other nations.
-
How US air armada prepares to help out Israel
-
‘The entire world will blow up if Iran gets a nuke’ – Trump
Donald Trump has reiterated his stance that Iran can never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon as he fears they’ll use it on their enemies.
The conflict in the Middle East has erupted in recent days after Israel first started targeting what they believe are nuclear sites in Tehran.
The US has supported Israel’s air attacks after Trump tried to get a deal with Iran signed which would see them agree to halt any nuclear plans.
Trump said tonight in the Oval Office: “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon… They’d use it. I believe they’d use it.
“The entire world will blow up if Iran gets a nuclear weapon.”
-
Could the UK also launch strikes on Iran?
The UK – a close ally of both Israel and the US – are yet to comment on if they will also launch strikes of their own.
Sir Keir Starmer is said to have held a Cobra crisis meeting on Wednesday with a potential US-led strike reportedly being discussed.
Starmer has already been warned by Attorney General Lord Hermer that the UK’s involvement could be illegal.
The message from the government has been “de-escalate” since the conflict kicked off with British involvement sure to do the opposite.
-
Iranian missiles seen flying towards Israel
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: Reuters -
Watch Trump address Iran in his latest Oval Office address
Trump vows ‘no ceasefire’ until ‘total victory’ over Iran & holds crunch war room talks over striking key nuke base
-
UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Friday
Iran has requested the United Nations Security Council hold another emergency meeting on Friday.
The plea has been agreed with it scheduled to take place at 10am (3pm UK time) in New York.
The meeting is supported by China, Pakistan and Russia.
Part of Iran’s request includes having the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi and the UN political affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo present.
They also say they want them both to deliver a briefing to the council.
A first emergency meeting took place last Friday.
-
Fears grow as Trump’s ‘Doomsday Plane’ move close to Washington
Donald Trump’s nuclear-hardened “Doomsday Plane” has touched down near to Washington DC as speculation grows over a strike on Iran.
The impervious US Air Force E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft landed at Joint Base Andrews under the cover of darkness on Tuesday – hours after Trump’s crisis meeting in the White House Situation Room.
Eager aviation followers managed to track the huge Boeing as it went on the move and went on a highly irregular flight path from Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The craft took off from Bossier City and traveled along the coast before landing at the airbase in Maryland at 10:01pm.
The flight lasted for over four hours with never-before-seen call signs also being noticed by online trackers of ORDER01 instead of the typical ORDER6.
Its movement has sparked fears that it could be a clear indication of Trump and the US joining the war against Iran.
-
Chilling video shows Israeli school bus blown to bits by Iranian missile
Chilling vid shows Israeli school bus blown to bits by Iranian missile in madcap Ayatollah’s death-throw retaliation -
Trump has approved Iran attack plans – reports
President Donald Trump has reportedly told his closest aides that he has approved US air strikes on Iran, people familiar with the matter have said.
The decision was said to have been made late on Tuesday.
But Trump is yet to go through with any attack as he is holding off to see if Tehran will agree to abandon its nuclear program, the Wall Street Journal reports.
