US involvement in Iran-Israel conflict remains 'possible', says Trump

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Sunday said that United States involvement in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict is “possible,” adding that he would be open to Russian President Vladimir Putin acting as a mediator.

"It's possible we could get involved" in the ongoing battle between the Middle East arch-foes, Trump said in an interview, according to ABC News which said the Republican president stressed that the United States is "not at this moment" involved in the military action.

As for Putin being a potential mediator in the conflict, "he is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it," Trump told an ABC News reporter. 

Earlier in the day, President Trump warned Iran that it would experience "the full strength" of the US military if it attacks the United States, reiterating that Washington "had nothing to do" with Israel’s strikes on Tehran’s nuclear and intelligence facilities.

Israel’s operation, which began early on Friday, has targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, killing dozens of people including top army commanders and atomic scientists, according to Tehran.

Israel and Iran launched fresh attacks on each other overnight into Sunday. Israeli rescue teams combed through the rubble of residential buildings destroyed in strikes, using flashlights and sniffer dogs to look for survivors after at least seven people were killed, including children, authorities said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit "every target of the ayatollah regime", and Iran has retaliated with a deadly barrage of missiles.

Netanyahu said the attacks by Israel so far were nothing compared with what Iran would see in the coming days

While Trump had said he was aware of the Israeli operation before it started, he reiterated on Sunday morning on his Truth Social platform that the United States "had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight".

"If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," he said in a post.

He added that "we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!"

On Friday, the US president urged Tehran to make a deal or face "even more brutal" attacks by Israel.

During his first term, a landmark nuclear accord with Iran — negotiated under former president Barack Obama — was torpedoed in 2018 when Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States and reimposed sanctions.

Meanwhile, Tehran has called off nuclear talks, after Israeli attacks, that Washington had said were the only way to halt Israel's bombing.

— With additional input from Reuters