Trump holds off decision on U.S. military involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

As Washington deliberates its role in the conflict between Israel and Iran, global attention is on unfolding developments and the potential for further escalation.

Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details.

U.S. President Donald Trump kept the international community on edge with an ambiguous response to whether Washington would join Israel's military campaign against Iranian nuclear sites.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday local time, he said that he had yet to make a final call, and he would hold off doing so for now.

"I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven't made it final. I'd like to make the final decision one second before it's due, you know, because things change. I mean, especially with war, things change with war, it can go from one extreme to the other."

Shortly afterwards, he convened a second White House Situation Room meeting in as many days to discuss the agenda with his national security advisers.

The talks lasted for around an hour, and it is not yet clear what was discussed or whether any decisions were made.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump told senior aides late Tuesday that he had approved plans for a potential military strike on Iran, but decided to pause, hoping Tehran might still give up its nuclear program.

Earlier in the day, Trump claimed that Iran had proposed to come to the White House to begin negotiations, and once again, called for "unconditional surrender".

In response, Iran's diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York hit back on social media by saying that "No Iranian official has asked to grovel at the gates of the White House," followed by a message from Iran's supreme leader himself.

"The Iranian nation stands firm against the imposed war – as it has stood so far – and stands firm against the imposed peace. The Iranian nation will not surrender to anyone in the face of imposition."

In the meantime, Israel downgraded its domestic security level on the assessment that Tehran's retaliatory capabilities have weakened after days of intense airstrikes.

Israeli authorities have also begun operating return flights for Israeli citizens abroad, while other nations move to evacuate their own nationals from Israel.

The U.S. State Department has started pulling out non-essential diplomats and is arranging evacuation flights and ships for American citizens, while China is also working to evacuate its citizens.

Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.