Britain says it will not protect Israel as Iran vows retaliation against overnight strikes on its nuclear facilities
\n WASHINGTON
\nUS President Donald Trump urged Iran on Friday to \u201cmake a deal\u201d, warning that there will be more \u201cdeath and destruction\u201d after Israel launched deadly strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
\n\u201cThere has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end,\u201d Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
\n\u201cIran must make a deal, before there is nothing left… JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,\u201d he said.
\nEarlier, Trump told Fox News he had advance knowledge of Israel\u2019s air strikes on Iran, underscoring that Tehran \u201ccannot have a nuclear bomb\u201d and expressing hope for a return to diplomatic negotiations.
\nThe comments followed Israel\u2019s massive overnight operation targeting 100 Iranian sites, including nuclear and military facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the strikes hit the Natanz atomic facility.
\nIranian media reported the deaths of key military figures, including Revolutionary Guards leader Hossein Salami and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri.
\nResponding to the strikes, Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the Israeli operation as a \u201ccrime\u201d carried out by \u201csatanic, bloodstained hands.\u201d He warned that Israel should expect \u201ca severe punishment\u201d and that \u201cthe powerful arm of the Islamic Republic\u2019s Armed Forces won\u2019t let them go unpunished.\u201d
\n\u201cThe Zionist regime has prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate,\u201d Khamenei added, signaling a likely intensification of hostilities.
\nAs the region braces for possible Iranian retaliation, global powers watch closely, urging restraint while preparing for all contingencies in an increasingly volatile Middle East.
\nHowever, Trump said that \u201cIran cannot have a nuclear bomb\u201d and that the US was hoping to get back to the negotiating table. He also emphasised US\u2019 readiness to defend itself and Israel in the event of Iranian retaliation. While the Trump administration reportedly informed a key Middle Eastern ally ahead of the strikes, it reiterated that the US was not directly involved.
\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this stance, stating, \u201cWe are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.\u201d He added a stern warning: \u201cIran should not target US interests or personnel.\u201d
\nTrump is set to convene a National Security Council meeting on Friday morning to discuss the unfolding situation.
\nResponding to the strikes, Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the Israeli operation as a \u201ccrime\u201d carried out by \u201csatanic, bloodstained hands.\u201d He warned that Israel should expect \u201ca severe punishment\u201d and that \u201cthe powerful arm of the Islamic Republic\u2019s Armed Forces won\u2019t let them go unpunished.\u201d
\n\u201cThe Zionist regime has prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate,\u201d Khamenei added, signaling a likely intensification of hostilities.
\nAs the region braces for possible Iranian retaliation, global powers watch closely, urging restraint while preparing for all contingencies in an increasingly volatile Middle East.
\nAcross the Atlantic, Britain distanced itself from the strikes and any protective measures for Israel against possible Iranian retaliation. The defence editor of The Times reported on social media that Britain will not protect Israel following the recent Israeli air raids.
\nIn contrast to its limited involvement last October \u2014 when British jets helped prevent escalation after Iranian missile attacks on Israel \u2014 London has maintained a hands-off stance this time.
\nPrime Minister Keir Starmer has urged both Israel and Iran to exercise restraint and return to diplomatic dialogue.
\nNeither Britain\u2019s Foreign Office nor Ministry of Defence have commented on any potential role in the current crisis, leaving the country\u2019s exact position ambiguous but cautious.
\nMeanwhile, Iran\u2019s neighbour Pakistan strongly condemned Israel\u2019s military actions, labeling them \u201cunjustified and illegitimate.\u201d The Pakistani Foreign Office criticised the Israeli strikes as violations of Iran\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling them clear breaches of the UN Charter and international law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Britain says it will not protect Israel as Iran vows retaliation against overnight strikes on its nuclear facilities WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump urged Iran on Friday to \u201cmake a deal\u201d, warning that there will be more \u201cdeath and destruction\u201d after Israel launched deadly strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. \u201cThere has already been great death […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":480457,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-484024","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n