Iran-Israel conflict: Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran and Israel exchanged fresh missile strikes on Wednesday, escalating an air war that has now entered its sixth day, despite US President Donald Trump’s call for Iran’s unconditional surrender.

According to Reuters, the Israeli military reported that Iran launched two barrages of missiles targeting Israel in the early hours of Wednesday.

In response, Israel ordered residents in a southwestern district of Tehran to evacuate, signaling plans to strike Iranian military positions in the area.

Iranian media reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted a university affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in eastern Tehran, as well as the Khojir ballistic missile facility near the capital.

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence has identified Iran as possessing the largest arsenal of ballistic missiles in the Middle East.

President Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday with a stark warning: “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now… Our patience is wearing thin.” Moments later, he posted a single-word demand: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

A White House official confirmed that Trump spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.

The president also met for 90 minutes with his National Security Council to review the conflict. Details of that meeting have not been disclosed.

In response to the escalating crisis, the US is deploying additional fighter aircraft to the region and extending the deployment of others, according to three US officials quoted by Reuters.

Despite these developments, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking at the G7 summit in Canada—which Trump left early—said there is no clear indication that the US plans to enter the conflict directly.

Israel began its aerial campaign—the largest it has ever launched against Iran—on Friday, claiming Tehran was close to acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Iran has denied the allegation, insisting its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes under the terms of the international Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

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