Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (December 29) said that the U.S. would quickly launch new attacks on Iran if it is rebuilding the nuclear program that he struck in June.
Trump made the comments as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida for talks on breaking a deadlock over the Gaza ceasefire and addressing Israeli concerns about Iran and Lebanese group Hezbollah.
Trump struck a decidedly supportive tone with Netanyahu, even as some aides and allies have suggested the Israeli leader was slow-walking elements of the Gaza ceasefire accord signed in October.
Trump said he wanted to move to the second phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas as soon as possible, but that "there has to be a disarming of Hamas."
A ceasefire agreement in the conflict took effect on October 10, but heavy Israeli bombardment and military operations in Gaza destroyed much of the territory’s infrastructure, and living conditions are dire.
Since the ceasefire was declared, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 Palestinians — most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials — and Palestinian militants have killed three Israeli soldiers.
Trump’s said that Israeli President Isaac Herzog had told him a pardon for Prime Netanyahu on corruption-related charges was “on its way,” an assertion Herzog’s office was quick to challenge.
