Donald Trump 'considering nuking Iran' as 'no options off the table' to defend Israel

Donald Trump has reportedly not taken launching tactical nukes at Iran "off the table" as he continues to weigh up the extent of US military involvement in its war with Israel. The Guardian reported on Wednesday that there was "deep contention" in the White House over the effectiveness of non-nuclear "bunker buster" bombs, US weapons designed to reach underground targets, in the bid to destroy Iran's Fordow nuclear research facility. Two defence officials told the newspaper that while there was doubt about whether the weapons would effectively target the facility, which is thought to be located around 800 metres inside a mountain, Donald Trump was "not considering" the suggestion of using nuclear weapons instead.

However, Jaqui Heinrich, political correspondent for Fox News, said a White House official had told her that such reports were "false" and that while there was "no doubt about the efficacy of bunker busters in eliminating the site at Fordow", it was also untrue that "any options [including tactical nukes] have been taken off the table". It comes after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that he had directed "the deployment of additional capabilities" to the Middle East in a bid to "enhance our defensive posture in the region".

The use of US nuclear weapons in Iran would mark the country's first wartime deployment since the highly controversial atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

Trump said he would make a decision on whether or not to directly involve the US in the Iran-Israel conflict within the next two weeks - but Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi warned on Saturday that American involvement in the war would be "very, very dangerous for everyone".

In a statement delivered by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump said: "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision of whether or not to go within in the next two weeks."

Ms Leavitt added that "if there's a chance for diplomacy, the President's always going to grab it, but he's not afraid to use strength as well".

Over 700 people have been killed in Iran, with more than 2,500 injured, since war broke out when Israeli airstrikes targeted nuclear and military sites across the country on June 13, as well as at least 24 deaths and hundreds left wounded in Israel after retaliatory attacks.

Israel's military said it struck a nuclear facility in Isfahan on Saturday as part of the campaign to destroy Iran's nuclear programme - with Iranian forces launching a "small barrage" of drones and missiles at Israel in response.

Although Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful and civilian purposes, some - including Israel - have claimed that the country is covertly developing nuclear weapons, and it is the only non nuclear-state to enrich uranium up to 60%, just short of the weapons-grade 90%.

Israel is also believed to have a nuclear arsenal, although has never acknowledged or confirmed the fact, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue targeting Iran "for as long as it takes" to eliminate what he has described as an "existential threat".