Former US President Donald Trump has raised concerns about the growing tension between Israel and Iran. He warned that if the fighting continues, the United States might have no choice but to step in.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump explained that the US is not currently involved in the conflict. However, he didn’t rule out the idea that America might join the fight if things get worse.
This latest round of violence started on Friday when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. They targeted locations believed to be connected to Iran’s nuclear and military programs. In response, Iran sent waves of missiles and drones to attack major Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv. This back-and-forth has caused destruction and chaos in both countries.
Even with the violence, Trump still believes peace is possible. He said he’s hopeful that both Iran and Israel will come to an agreement and stop the fighting through diplomatic means.
In a surprising statement, Trump mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin might help settle the conflict. He said Putin has good relationships with both Iran and Israel and could act as a peace mediator.
Trump added that Putin already reached out to him about the situation. He said they spoke at length, and Putin seemed serious about helping. Trump even said that they talked more about the Israel-Iran issue than the war in Ukraine.
However, Iran’s leaders don’t believe the US is truly staying out of the conflict. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that they’ve received messages from the US claiming they’re not involved. But he made it clear that Iran doubts these claims.
As the conflict worsens, the US government is taking steps to protect its people. The State Department has allowed non-essential workers and families at the US embassy in Israel to leave. They also advised all American citizens in the area to leave immediately for safety.
A notice from the department urged Americans not to wait. It told them to use commercial flights while they are still available. Meanwhile, the US embassy in Israel remains under a shelter-in-place order.
Images coming from the region show how serious the situation is. Smoke has been seen rising above Tehran after Israeli strikes, and videos show Israel’s Iron Dome system shooting down incoming missiles over Tel Aviv.
Although world leaders are calling for calm, the situation remains dangerous and unclear. Many fear that other countries might get dragged into the war if the violence continues.
