A closed-door meeting at the White House on the evening of June 17 (W Washington time) ended without reaching a final decision on whether the US would participate in Israel's military campaign against Iran. However, US officials revealed that the next 24-48 hours will be the key time for this decision.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated fiercely over the past week, after Israel launched a "lion Rising" operation, attacking a series of facilities believed to be linked to Iran's nuclear program, including locations in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow.
Tel Aviv has said it has hit centrifugers, an essential tool for enriching uranium. However, the extent of the damage is still unclear.
In response, Iran launched missiles and deployed UAVs into Israeli territory. Notably, one of the strikes was said to have used a Fattah hypersonic missile - a weapon Tehran claimed could penetrate any Israeli air defense system.
As of June 19, at least 585 people have been killed in the back-and-forth attacks, according to Iranian sources. Israel reported the death toll at 24.
In the context of the risk of a widespread regional conflict, US President Donald Trump asked "Iran to surrender unconditionally". He did not rule out the possibility of direct military intervention, stressing that the US would not accept a half-time ceasefire, but was aiming for a complete victory.
The US State Department confirmed that it has begun evacuating part of the staff and relatives at the US Embassy in Israel. Several military flights have been deployed for the operation, with the possibility of expanding to a full withdrawal, according to the final decision from the White House.
In London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is said to have warned the cabinet about the possibility of the US attacking Iran from the US-UK joint base in Diego Garcia, which is deploying 6 B-2 stealth bombers carrying 13,600 kg of a 13,600 kg medium-barrel bomb - a type of weapon that can penetrate the Fordow nuclear facility. He was concerned that he would be drawn into the war if the US took action.
On the other hand, Russia condemned the initial airstrikes by Israel and called for a reduced escalation. President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with President Donald Trump, revealing that Israel has pledged to ensure the safety of more than 200 Russian experts working at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant - a project Russia has participated in since 1990.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Petersburg on June 18, Mr. Putin emphasized that Russia is not withdrawing from the Bushehr project. He also called on the international community to seek to cool down tensions, ensure Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy development, and ease Israel's security concerns.
Russia said it has contacted the US, Iran and Israel to propose a mediation role.
