Israel's Strikes on Tehran Broaden as Trump Issues Ominous Warning

Israel pounded Iran for a fifth day in an air campaign against its long-standing foe's military and nuclear programme, as US President Donald Trump warned residents of Tehran to evacuate and suggested the United States was working on something "better than a ceasefire."

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One during the flight back to Washington: "I'm not looking at a ceasefire. We're looking at better than a ceasefire." When asked to explain, he said the US wanted to see "a real end" to the conflict that could involve Iran "giving up entirely." He added: "I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate."

Trump's cryptic messages added to the uncertainty roiling the region as residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves and the UN nuclear watchdog for the first time said Israeli strikes on Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz had also damaged its underground section, and not just the surface area.