Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2025
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by Alan Jamison
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0 Comments
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The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has now entered its fifth day as the two Middle East nations trade missile barrages and casualties mount on both sides.
In the latest development, Israel says it has killed Ali Shadmani, Iran’s top military commander. Shadmani’s predecessor, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Bagheri, was killed in Israel’s initial barrage of attacks on Friday, June 13. In total, at least 224 Iranians and 24 Israelis have been killed.
After Israel’s initial attacks, which included deploying drones launched from bases secretly built inside Iran, Tehran responded with a missile barrage of its own. On Saturday, Israel expanded its airstrikes to include other targets in Iranian industry as drone attacks on major Israeli cities continued.
Along with Shadmani and Bagheri, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced that its strikes have killed Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iranian nuclear scientists. Israeli intelligence believes Iran was working to develop a nuclear weapon. Israel has reportedly struck more than 250 targets, with Iran retaliating by launching more than 200 missiles.
Following the initial wave of attacks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement explaining that “Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel” in retaliation, as the United States was not involved in the offensive.
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran,” Rubio said Thursday night. “We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense.”
The fighting has led to the cancellation of further nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran for the time being. Trump explained on Truth Social on Friday that he gave Iran a “60-day ultimatum” to make a nuclear deal and that Friday was “day 61.” In another post on Saturday, the president echoed Rubio’s statement that the U.S. was not involved in Israel’s military offensive.
“The U.S. had nothing to do with the attack on Iran tonight,” Trump said. “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before. However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!”
Israel had also planned to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but Trump reportedly stopped them from carrying through with the plan since Iran has not yet killed an American in the conflict.
In a post on Sunday on Truth Social, the president encouraged Israel and Iran to come to the negotiating table to create a peace deal, similarly to how he helped India and Pakistan come to an agreement.
“Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!” Trump said.
Trump added in a post Monday that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the U.S. before the issue escalated to this point and that residents should evacuate Tehran now.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” Trump said. “What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
The president was in Canada on Monday for the annual G7 Summit with other world leaders, but left early Tuesday morning to return to the White House as ariel strikes continued between Israel and Iran.
French President Emmanuel Macron had originally said that Trump offered a ceasefire deal to Israel and Iran, but Trump pushed back on Truth Social, explaining that Macron was mistaken. Trump stated that his return to the White House “has nothing to do with a Cease Fire” and is “much bigger than that.”
As the conflict continues to escalate, some conservatives have expressed concern that the United States could be drawn into another Middle East war and even criticized Trump’s approach. But Vice President JD Vance has urged trust in Trump’s handling of the situation.
“The president has shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military’s focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens,” Vance said in an X post on Tuesday. “He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president.”
“Of course, people are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic foreign policy,” Vance continued. “But I believe the president has earned some trust on this issue. And having seen this up close and personal, I can assure you that he is only interested in using the American military to accomplish the American people’s goals. Whatever he does, that is his focus.”
Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.
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