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Israel pounded Iran for a fifth day in an air campaign against its longstanding foe’s military and nuclear program, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned residents of Tehran to evacuate and suggested the United States was working on something “better than a ceasefire.”
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 U.S. wanted to see "a real end" to the conflict that could involve Iran “giving up entirely."
Trump's cryptic messages added to the uncertainty roiling the region as residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves and the U.N. 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.
Responding to a reporter's question, Trump says he won’t call Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz after the targeted shootings of two state lawmakers because it would “waste time.”
One of the lawmakers and her husband were killed.
Asked if he planned to call Walz, Trump said the Democratic governor is “slick” and “whacked out” and said, “I’m not calling him.”
Presidents often reach out to other elected officials at times of tragedy to offer condolences.
Trump added, “The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. So, you know, I could be nice and call him, but why waste time?”