() As Iran and Israel continue to trade attacks, President Donald Trump has echoed Israel’s warning to the 9.5 million residents of Tehran: get out while you still can.
It’s a switch-up from early Monday, when the president said a nuclear deal with Iran was still “achievable.” Within the day, Trump had decided to depart the Group of Seven summit to monitor the situation and called for a “complete give-up” by Iran.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his overnight flight back to Washington, adding that he is “not too much in the mood to negotiate” and that Iran should have taken a nuclear program deal.
Israel’s surprise attacks on Iran’s military and nuclear program prompted retaliatory action from Tehran. The countries have traded attacks for five days.
Israeli missiles have bombarded Iran’s capital, including an attack on a state television studio while they were live on the air, while Tel Aviv said Tehran is targeting civilians with its strikes.
Trump: ‘I have not reached out to Iran’
In an early morning post on his Truth Social platform, Trump refuted the idea that his and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s G7 departure was to help facilitate a ceasefire.
“I have not reached out to Iran for “Peace Talks” in any way, shape, or form. This is just more HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS! If they want to talk, they know how to reach me,” Trump’s post reads.
“They should have taken the deal that was on the table – Would have saved a lot of lives!!!” he continued.
Israel says it killed high-ranking Iranian general
Israel said Tuesday it killed another high-ranking Iranian general after decimating its military command.
The Israeli military said it killed Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had recently been named the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
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Buildings hit by ballistic missiles in Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 16, 2025. Iran fired several waves of drones and missiles over the last 24 hours, while Israel hit the Islamic Republic’s capital, Tehran, killing another key military official. (Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images) -
Smoke billows from an explosion at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting building in Tehran on June 16, 2025. The IRIB building was struck in an Israeli attack on June 16, cutting live coverage immediately. The blast occurred as the presenter was live on TV lambasting Israel before she was seen leaving the live broadcast, Iranian media reported, sharing a video of the incident. (Photo by Getty-AFP) -
Israeli rescuers search through the rubble at the site of an overnight Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam on June 15, 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran would pay “a very heavy price” for killing Israeli civilians, during a June 15 visit to the site of a missile strike on a residential building near Tel Aviv, as the two foes kept up intense fighting. (Photo by Menahem Kahana /Getty-AFP) -
A general view shows heavily damaged buildings, following an overnight Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam on June 15, 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran would pay “a very heavy price” for killing Israeli civilians, during a June 15 visit to the site of a missile strike on a residential building near Tel Aviv, as the two foes kept up intense fighting. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN /Getty-AFP) -
Israeli security forces inspect destroyed residential buildings that were hit by a missile fired from Iran, in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) -
A man looks at flames rising from an oil storage facility after it appeared to have been struck by an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
‘Pre-planned’: US moves military assets to Middle East
A Pentagon official confirmed to that the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Nimitz will be in the Middle East at the same time as they hand over responsibilities.
The move was “pre-planned” and “just happened to coincide with region tensions,” the official said.
The Nimitz, the Navy’s oldest active aircraft carrier, is set to be decommissioned next spring. No timeframe was given as to how long the Nimitz will be in the Middle East.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
