Israel-Iran war: Trump demands Tehran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as US edges closer to entering conflict

Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” while Tehran vowed to show “no mercy”, as the United States appears closer to entering the intensifying conflict with Israel that has now reached its sixth day.

New explosions have been reported in Tehran on Wednesday morning, local time, where the Israeli military has claimed to have attacked a centrifuge production site and several weapons-production facilities via dozens of fighter jets overnight. Israel has also said they have killed another top Iranian commander as part of their mission to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Meanwhile, Iran had warned residents of Tel Aviv to evacuate while they can, as Israel claimed more than 400 missiles have been launched their way since Friday, striking 40 sites.

A human rights group has reported that the civilian death toll in Iran has risen to 239, while 24 people in Israel have died as a result of Tehran’s strikes.

The US President, who had left the G7 summit early and declared he had plans “much bigger” than a ceasefire, convened a high-level meeting in the National Situation Room hours after blunt posts on social media raised expectations he was considering American military intervention.

On Truth Social he declared: “we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment … but it doesn’t compare to American made … Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA,”.

In a subsequent post appearing to target Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he said: “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least for now”.

“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin!”

In a final post, he wrote: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER”.

Hours later, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei took to X: “We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime”.

“We will show the Zionists no mercy,” he wrote.

US media has reported that Iran is now preparing missiles to strike US bases in the Middle East should Mr Trump, who has long professed his opposition to getting involved in foreign wars and expressed hopes of a diplomatic outcome, see fit to join the conflict.

Mr Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the National Situation Room meeting, but the White House did not provide any further detail.

Mr Netanyahu wants the US to drop its “bunker-busting” bombs on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, which lies deep underground. Israel does not have bombs or warplanes big enough to do so themselves.

French President Emmanuel Macron called on the United States to “bring everyone back to the table”, saying Washington had a critical role to play in de-escalating the situation before a full blown war erupts.

He said any attempt to forcefully overthrow the Iranian government - a stated aim of Israel - would be “chaos”.

“We don’t want Iran to get a nuclear weapon,” Mr Macron said.

“But the biggest error would be to use military strikes to change the regime because it would then be chaos, and our responsibility is to return discussions as quickly as possible to be able to set a course again on the nuclear and ballistic question.”

He pointed to the effects of US-led wars in Iraq and Libya, asking: “Does anyone think that what was done in Iraq in 2003 was a good idea? Does anyone think that what was done in Libya the next decade was a good idea? No!”

Before Mr Trump’s social media posts, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had said he’d heard “nothing” from Mr Trump at the G7 to suggest the US was going to get involved, while German Chancellor Freidrich Merz was cognisant the President had been weighing it up.

Domestically, Mr Trump’s supporters are divided over whether or not the President should send in US troops. Some parts of MAGA, including high-profile commentator Tucker Carlson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have argued against US involvement.

Vice President JD Vance pushed back against that internal criticism, arguing that Mr Trump had been “amazingly consistent” for over 10 years that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon”.

“Over the last few months, he encouraged his foreign policy team to reach a deal with the Iranians to accomplish this goal. The president has made clear that Iran cannot have uranium enrichment. And he said repeatedly that this would happen one of two ways--the easy way or the “other” way,” he wrote on X.

He went on to say the President had “shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military’s focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens”.

“He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president,” he said.

Up on the Hill, Democrat Bernie Sanders led an effort to prevent the use of any federal funds for any war in or against Iran without approval from Congress.

However, a former Israeli ambassador to the US said he was gravely concerned that Tehran would force Mr Trump’s hand by launching a strike on a US shop or base in a bid to drag America into the conflict.

“(Iran attacking the US first would) increase pressure on Trump within his own White House, and President Trump would pressure Israel” to then seek an agreement to end the conflict, he told BBC Radio 4.

“That’s the way the Iranians might think,” he said. “It’s a fear I have.”

At home, Foreign Minister Penny Wong had a marked change in language, saying Iran “must come to the table” and agree to dissolve its nuclear program, arguing it was the “fastest way out of danger for the globe”.

“We are at a point where the conflict in the Middle East is at a very grave and perilous point,” Senator Wong told Sky News.

“That is what is occupying the minds of global leaders, and so it should, because what we want to see is this situation resolved by Iran’s actions.

“Iran must come to the table. Iran must stop any nuclear program. That is the fastest way out of danger for the globe, for the region, and for the Iranian people.”

“The fastest way out of the danger that the world sees, that the region is experiencing, and that the Iranian people are suffering under, is for Iran to come to the table and to stop any nuclear weapons program. That remains Australia’s call.”

Senator Wong said the Iranian regime had to “to make a decision about whether it is going to continue down a path that is so perilous”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia hadn’t been asked to consider sending military assets to the region to provide support, nor was it something his Government was considering.

“What the discussions I’ve always had with our European friends always is, is they understand that our priority is where we are in the world. And so, no, is the clear answer to that,” he said.

The PM said he had been briefed on what Mr Trump’s “bigger plan” was, but would not go into detail.

So far, about 2000 Australians have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as being in Israel or Iran.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC Radio on Wednesday morning there were over 1000 people in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and another 870 in Iran.

“Our focus, in an immediate sense, is working with those almost 2,000 Australians who’ve indicated that they want to get out of that very perilous, very dangerous part of the world right now,” he said.