U.S. President Donald Trump left the G7 summit in Canada a day early on Monday, citing the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East, where Israel and Iran have exchanged attacks for five consecutive days.
The White House confirmed that Trump would return to the U.S. to convene a meeting of his National Security Council. The move was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Trump's early departure could help accelerate efforts toward brokering a ceasefire between the two nations.
The conflict intensified early Tuesday as Iranian media reported explosions and heavy anti-aircraft fire in Tehran, with air defenses also activated in Natanz, a city housing critical nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, in Israel, sirens blared in Tel Aviv past midnight, followed by an explosion as Iranian missiles reportedly struck again.
The escalating violence has claimed hundreds of lives. Iranian officials reported 224 deaths—mostly civilians—over five days of hostilities, while Israeli authorities reported 24 civilian fatalities. Nearly 3,000 Israelis have been evacuated due to infrastructure damage from Iranian strikes, according to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, President Trump issued a stark warning:
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Behind the scenes, diplomatic efforts are reportedly underway. Sources told Reuters that Iran has asked Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to urge President Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting a ceasefire. In return, Iran signaled a willingness to show flexibility in stalled nuclear negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential. Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue.”
As the international community watches with growing concern, the next few days may prove critical in either halting or further escalating the conflict.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)