Trump Seeks “Real End” to Israel-Iran War as Pressure Mounts for U.S. Military Action

President Donald Trump returned to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday amid intensifying violence between Israel and Iran, declaring he is seeking something "better than a cease-fire" and refusing to rule out stronger U.S. involvement in the conflict.

Cutting short his participation in the Group of 7 summit in Alberta, Canada, Trump made the surprise announcement aboard Air Force One, signaling a tougher stance against Tehran. “A real end, not a cease-fire,” he told reporters. “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.” The president insisted that Iran must fully abandon its nuclear ambitions.

As the Israel-Iran war entered its fifth day, Israeli forces claimed to have killed another top Iranian general, Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani—marking the second high-profile Iranian military death in less than a week. Iran has yet to confirm his death, though reports suggest that Israel has eliminated at least 11 senior Iranian commanders since the conflict began.

In Israel, cities near Tel Aviv sustained new missile strikes on Tuesday, escalating civilian fears. According to the Iranian health ministry, over 220 people have been killed and more than 1,400 injured by Israeli airstrikes. Israel reported 24 deaths and around 600 injuries due to Iranian missile attacks.

Despite the rising toll, Trump remains torn between hardline rhetoric and his long-standing opposition to entangling the U.S. in overseas conflicts. Throughout his presidency and campaign, Trump promised to end “forever wars,” and has repeatedly claimed that conflicts like the one in Ukraine or Gaza wouldn’t have occurred under his watch.

Now, Trump faces a critical decision: honor his “America First” pledge and stay out of direct combat, or respond to growing Israeli pressure to target Iran’s fortified nuclear sites, like the Fordo facility, which only the U.S. military has the capacity to reach. Such action would mark a sharp reversal of his non-interventionist stance and could potentially redefine his foreign policy legacy.

“Iran is running out of room to maneuver,” a senior U.S. official said. “But President Trump is still weighing his options.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, hinted at a willingness to resume nuclear talks. Trump has reportedly tasked his Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance with exploring diplomatic outreach this week, although no meetings have been confirmed.

The G7 leaders issued a joint statement calling for de-escalation while backing Israel’s right to self-defense. Trump, however, refused to endorse an earlier version of the statement, reportedly objecting to language he deemed too conciliatory toward Iran.

As the conflict grows bloodier and more complex, Trump's next move could not only define the course of the war but reshape his image ahead of a contentious election year: as either a peace-seeking statesman—or a wartime president.

Source: BBC News, The New York Times