US President Donald Trump has praised Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, calling them “excellent” and suggesting that additional attacks may follow.
US President Donald Trump has praised Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, calling them “excellent” and suggesting that additional attacks may follow. “I think it’s been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn’t take it,” Trump told ABC News on Friday. “They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you’re going to get hit. And there’s more to come, a lot more.”
In a separate post on his Truth Social platform, Trump disclosed that he had given Iran a two-month window to negotiate. “Two months ago, I gave Iran a 60-day ultimatum to ‘make a deal.’ They should have done it! Today is day 61. I told them what to do, but they just couldn’t get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!”
Trump’s remarks came amid escalating tensions following Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, including the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, and reportedly senior personnel linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the Associated Press.
While Washington signalled support for Israel’s actions, several Arab countries condemned the strikes, warning that the escalation could destabilise the region and provoke broader conflict.
Saudi Arabia, which has cautiously improved relations with Iran in recent months, issued a strong condemnation.
“While the Kingdom condemns these heinous attacks, it affirms that the international community and the (UN) Security Council bear a great responsibility to halt this aggression,” said the Saudi Foreign Ministry in a statement.
The United Arab Emirates, which normalized ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.”
Meanwhile, Qatar, home to the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, described the strikes as “a blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security.”
Both nations emphasized the risks posed to their own security, as any Iranian retaliation against U.S. or Israeli interests could involve targets in or near their territory.
Oman, which has served as a diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran, warned that Israel’s actions were “reckless” and came at an “extremely sensitive time” for nuclear diplomacy.
In Beirut, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam added to the wave of condemnation:
“It constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and Iranian sovereignty, and its repercussions threaten the stability of the entire region and even world peace.”
Lebanon’s response is also shaped by the presence of Hezbollah, a major Iran-backed militia with a long history of conflict with Israel.
According to CNN, US intelligence agencies had warned as early as February that Israel was preparing to strike key Iranian nuclear assets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long advocated for military action against Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, especially following increased regional tension tied to the war in Gaza and Iran’s growing influence via proxy groups.
Netanyahu has also been facing domestic political pressure, with a divided Knesset and widespread opposition to a military conscription bill.
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