Trump says Israeli attack on Iran ‘could very well happen’

Donald Trump has suggested that Israel could launch military action against Iran in the coming days. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday (12 June), the president said: “I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen.” Asked if anything could be done to de-escalate tensions, Trump said Tehran should agree to further concessions in ongoing negotiations with Washington. “Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simple – they can’t have a nuclear weapon.” Western officials have said that Israel has become more serious about a unilateral strike on Iran amid fears that a deal between the US and Iran could include provisions about uranium enrichment - something Israel views as unacceptable. Concern about the possible strike has led the US to withdraw diplomats from Iraq and authorise the voluntary departure of US military family members from the Middle East.