President Donald Trump of the United States on Sunday called on warring Iran and Israel to make a deal, suggesting that they might need to fight it out first.
Trump said this while addressing reporters as Israel and Iran exchanged a fresh barrage of missile strikes and threatened more devastation in a conflict that appeared to be intensifying.
“I think it’s time for a deal. But sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re going to see what happens,”; Trump said, speaking at the White House before heading to Canada to take part in a G7 summit.
After several years of enmity and a prolonged shadow war fought through proxies and covert operations, the latest conflict marks the first time arch-enemies Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East.
DAILY POST reports that the conflict began Friday, when Israel launched attacks that have killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists, and struck military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.
Meanwhile, Trump remained mute when asked if he had asked Israel to pause airstrikes on Iran.
A senior US official had earlier alleged that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
