Trump Urges Israel to Strike Iran’s Nuclear Sites First, Address Other Concerns Later

Donald Trump has sparked fresh debate by urging Israel to prioritize targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities in response to the Islamic Republic’s recent missile barrage. His remarks arrive amid rising tensions between the two nations, with Israel grappling with escalating threats from Iran. In contrast, President Joe Biden has opted for a more restrained approach, stating that a full-scale war in the Middle East is unlikely and should be avoided.

Trump’s comments were made in response to a question about whether Israel should strike Iran’s nuclear infrastructure following a 200-missile attack. The former president expressed his disagreement with Biden’s position on the matter.

“They asked him, what do you think about Iran? Would you hit Iran? And he goes, ‘As long as they don’t hit the nuclear stuff.’ That’s the thing you want to hit, right?” Trump remarked. He added, “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to hit? I mean, it’s the biggest risk we have nuclear weapons.” Trump, the Republican presidential candidate for the upcoming U.S. elections, insisted that Biden should have encouraged Israel to target Iran’s nuclear sites first and “worry about everything else later.”

“If they’re going to do it, they’re going to do it. But we’ll find out whatever their plans are,” Trump added, signaling his belief that Israel may act unilaterally if it sees fit.

His remarks followed Biden’s statements downplaying the chances of an all-out war in the region. When asked how confident he was that a widespread conflict between Lebanon, Iran, and Israel could be avoided, Biden responded, “How confident are you it’s not going to rain? I don’t believe there will be an all-out war. I think we can avoid it.”

Biden also addressed whether American troops would be sent to aid Israel, stating, “We have already helped Israel. We are going to protect Israel,” reinforcing the U.S.’s commitment to its ally without explicitly promising direct military involvement.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered his first Friday sermon in five years, during which he defended Iran’s missile attack on Israel as “legal and legitimate” and described it as the minimum punishment for what he termed “Israel’s crimes.” Khamenei further criticized Israel’s use of assassinations, bombings, and civilian casualties, arguing that such actions only increase the determination of resistance groups.

Khamenei’s sermon, which comes just days ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel, underscores the ongoing and deep-rooted hostilities in the region. His remarks signal Iran’s continued support for resistance movements against Israel, framing their actions as beneficial not just to the region but to humanity as a whole.

As tensions continue to rise, the diverging approaches of Trump and Biden toward dealing with Iran and its nuclear ambitions spotlight a growing divide in U.S. foreign policy strategy. While Trump advocates for a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, Biden’s more cautious, diplomatic stance aims to prevent a broader conflict in the already volatile region. How these tensions unfold in the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the future stability of the Middle East and the international response to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.