✕ Close ‘I have to be back’: Trump on early G7 summit exit

On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

US president Donald Trump is reportedly considering joining Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities after claiming he knows where Iran’s Supreme Leader is hiding.

Mr Trump is considering a range of options, including a possible strike targeting Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site, CBS News reported, citing US officials.

Earlier in the day, Mr Trump warned, “our patience is wearing thin,” and called for the Iranian Supreme Leader’s “unconditional surrender”.

Mr Trump said: “We know exactly where the so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding. “He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.”

A Washington-based rights group said at least 585 people across Iran were killed in Israeli strikes as the conflict entered a sixth day with both nations trading blows. A major explosion could be heard around 5 am (local time) in Tehran on Wednesday, following other explosions that boomed earlier in the predawn darkness.

Iran has denied allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons, the pretext upon which Israel began striking Iran on Friday morning.

The Middle East finds itself on the precipice as the conflict between arch-foes Iran and Israel, now in its sixth brutal day, intensifies with both sides escalating their attacks and the civilian toll mounting.

As Israeli strikes continue to target Iran’s nuclear facilities and other sites, and Iranian missiles light up the skies over Israeli cities, a chilling new dimension has been added to the crisis: a demand from US President Donald Trump to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for an “unconditional surrender”, as Trump weighed whether to deepen US involvement.

Tuesday’s demand was accompanied by a social media post from Trump threatening Khamenei, stating the United States knows his location but will not kill him “for now”.

Follow developments and reactions here as the world grapples with an unprecedented level of direct confrontation between Israel and Iran, and fears of an all-out war grow.

Reporting by Robert Delaney, Khushboo Razdan and Mark Magnier

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified on Wednesday, June 18, regarding reports that the Thai Embassy in Tehran had instructed Thai nationals to evacuate the city.

The Ministry explained that the embassy had advised Thai citizens to “leave the area,” which means relocating from dangerous zones in Tehran to safer areas or shelters provided by the embassy, once it is feasible. This differs from the term “evacuate,” which implies organising transportation to leave the country.

Currently, no Thai citizens have requested evacuation from Iran, though the embassy has prepared plans for assistance and continues to assess the situation and inquire about the intentions of Thai nationals.

Summary

Companies LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

Iran targets Tel Aviv as aerial attacks by both sides persist

Israel strikes Khojir missile facility, Iranian websites say

US moves additional fighter jets to region

Trump says whereabouts of Iranian leader Khamenei are known

JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON/DUBAI, June 18 (Reuters) – Iran and Israel launched new missile strikes at each other on Wednesday as the air war between the two longtime enemies entered a sixth day despite a call from U.S. President Donald Trump for Tehran’s unconditional surrender.

The Israeli military said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours of Wednesday morning. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.

Sign up here.

Israel told residents in a southwestern area of Tehran to evacuate so its air force could strike Iranian military installations. Iranian news websites said Israel was attacking a university linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the east of the capital.

Iranian news websites said Israel was also attacking a university linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the country’s east, and the Khojir ballistic missile facility near Tehran, which was also targeted by Israeli airstrikes last October

The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence says Iran is armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Iran has said its ballistic missiles are an important deterrent and retaliatory force against the U.S., Israel and other potential regional targets.

Trump warned on social media on Tuesday that U.S. patience was wearing thin. While he said there was no intention to kill Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “for now,” his comments suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen U.S. involvement.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now … Our patience is wearing thin.”

Three minutes later Trump posted, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

Trump’s sometimes contradictory and cryptic messaging about the conflict between close U.S. ally Israel and longtime foe Iran has deepened the uncertainty surrounding the crisis. His public comments have ranged from military threats to diplomatic overtures, not uncommon for a president known for an often erratic approach to foreign policy.

A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team are considering a number of options, including joining Israel on strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

A White House official said Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Tuesday.

Trump also met for 90 minutes with his National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the conflict, a White House official said. Details were not immediately available.

The U.S. is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three U.S. officials told Reuters. The U.S. has so far only taken indirect actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel.

A source with access to U.S. intelligence reports said Iran has moved some ballistic missile launchers, but it is difficult to determine if they were targeting U.S. forces or Israel.

However, Britain’s leader Keir Starmer, speaking at the Group of Seven nations summit in Canada that Trump left early , said there was no indication the U.S. was about to enter the conflict.

Item 1 of 8 Smoke rises from a fire, as the Israel-Iran air war continues, in Tehran, Iran, in this still image obtained from social media video released June 17, 2025. Social Media/via REUTERS [1/8] Smoke rises from a fire, as the Israel-Iran air war continues, in Tehran, Iran, in this still image obtained from social media video released June 17, 2025. Social Media/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

REGIONAL INFLUENCE WEAKENS

Khamenei’s main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process.

With Iranian leaders suffering their most dangerous security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country’s cybersecurity command banned officials from using communications devices and mobile phones, Fars news agency reported.

Israel launched a “massive cyber war” against Iran’s digital infrastructure, Iranian media reported.

Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei’s regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran’s proxies – from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran’s close ally, Syria’s autocratic president Bashar al-Assad, has been ousted.

Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran’s nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment.

Before Israel’s attack began, the 35-nation board of governors of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.

The IAEA said on Tuesday an Israeli strike directly hit the underground enrichment halls at the Natanz facility.

Israel says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days.

But Israel will struggle to deal a knock-out blow to deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow, which is dug beneath a mountain, without the U.S. joining the attack.

Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Residents of both countries have been evacuated or fled

Global oil markets are on high alert following strikes on sites including the world’s biggest gas field, South Pars , shared by Iran and Qatar.

Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Nia Williams and Lincoln Feast; Editing by Saad Sayeed

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

In Iran: At least 224 people killed In Israel: 24 people killed

Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that the U.S. knows the location of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, calling him an “easy target” but saying they won’t kill him — “at least not for now.”

He warned Iran against attacking civilians or U.S. troops, saying American patience is running out. In a follow-up post, Trump demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”

We have total Control Of Skies Over Iran

US President Donald Trump seeks a “real end” to the conflict, not just a temporary truce.

He left the G7 summit early but denied it was to negotiate a ceasefire.

Claimed “something much bigger” is underway.

Warned Iranians to evacuate Tehran, highlighting risks to the city’s 10 million residents.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claims their strikes have significantly set back Iran’s nuclear program. Israel has targeted three major Iranian nuclear facilities. The extent of the damage remains unclear.

Israel Iran Attack Live Updates: The five-day conflict has taken a grim toll, with Iran suffering the brunt of the casualties—at least 224 people dead, including 70 women and children, and 1,277 injured, according to official figures. In Israel, the death toll stands between 18 and 20, with more than 390 wounded as emergency crews continue to search through the wreckage in several cities.The countries at G7 Summit called on to end the tensions with similar views against Ira’s nuclear enrichment programme. As for the latest, clouds of smoke seen in Western Iran, news agencies reported, shortly after Israel claimed fresh wave of attacks.In a televised address following the airstrikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had launched a “targeted military operation” aimed at countering what he called an existential threat from Iran.Iran retaliated late on Friday by unleashing scores of ballistic missiles on Israel, where explosions flared in the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings below. “We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed,” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message in which he vowed revenge.Israel and Iran continue exchanging strikes for the fifth consecutive day.Civilians in conflict zones are facing repeated attacks. Israel has asked citizens to take shelters as the fight is expected to continue.