Key Points:
- U.S. President Donald Trump is considering direct military strikes on Iran within two weeks.
- The Kremlin warned U.S. action could trigger a “terrible spiral of escalation,”
- China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin condemned Israel’s actions, urging a ceasefire.
The world is on a boundary as the Iran-Israel conflict worsens. On June 18, 2025, Israel struck Iran’s Arak and Natanz nuclear facilities, while Iran hit a hospital in Israel’s Negev region, injuring 30. Diplomacy is flagging as both sides trade deadly attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he’ll decide within two weeks whether to launch U.S. strikes on Iran. Trump told reporters on June 18, 2025, adding, “Nobody knows what I’ll do. The next week is going to be big.” On X, @Reuters shared Trump’s comments, citing fears of U.S. involvement.
International Reactions to Trump Warning
Russia warned that U.S. military action could flare a “terrible spiral of escalation,” Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the world is “millimeters” from nuclear disaster, mentioning Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In the U.K., Prime Minister Keir Starmer led an emergency Cobra meeting to evacuate British embassy staff and their families from Tel Aviv, as reported by BBC News on June 19, 2025. Starmer, fresh from the G7 summit, joined leaders in calling for peace.
China’s Premier Xi Jinping urged a ceasefire, saying power won’t solve the conflict. Russia’s Vladimir Putin agreed, condemning Israel for violating international law.
Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” on Truth Social on June 16, 2025, warning he could target Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei promised “irreparable damage” if the U.S. attacks.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist” after Iran’s hospital strike. On X, @IsraelWarRoom shared Katz’s statement, signaling no retreat. Trump, speaking from the Oval Office on June 18, 2025, said he’d make a final decision “one second before it’s due because things change,”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz flared debate by saying Israel is doing the “dirty work” for others by targeting Iran’s nuclear sites. “I respect Israel’s courage,” Merz said. Germany, France, and the U.K. will meet Iran’s foreign minister on June 20, 2025, to seek a diplomatic solution, The Washington Post noted on June 19, 2025. The G7, at its summit in Canada, called for de-escalation and a ceasefire in Gaza.
The conflict’s primary goal is to strike and destroy Iran’s nuclear program. So far till now, it has killed over 400 in Iran and 22 in Israel. Iran’s hospital strike was meant for a military site, but 30 were injured. Oil prices spiked 3% as energy sites were hit. The IAEA confirmed damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities but no radiation leaks. The risk of a wider war, possibly involving the U.S., looms large.