Trump tells Israel to 'hit' Iran's nuclear sites 'first' and 'worry about the rest later'

 

 

Donald Trump has urged Israel to strike Iran's nuclear program first and 'worry about the rest later' amid fears Netanyahu will retaliate against Iran for a previous missile attack. 

 Earlier this week, the Israeli military confirmed that Iran had unleashed a barrage of missiles into Israel earlier this week -with the Islamic Republic defying warnings that any such attack would invite 'severe consequences'. Air raid sirens sounded as some 181 missiles began raining down on Israel, many lighting up the night sky in bright orange flame as they were intercepted by Israel's 'Iron Dome' defense system.

Amid fears how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu will respond as tensions grow with Lebanon, Trump has encouraged the country to strike 'first'. 

Whilst campaigning in North Carolina, Trump had a more provocative response when asked about Biden's answer to the possibility of Israel targeting Iran's nuclear program.

'They asked him, "what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran?' And he goes, "As long as they don't hit the nuclear stuff." That's the thing you want to hit, right?' Trump told a town hall style event in Fayetteville, near a major US military base.

'Biden got that one wrong,' Trump said. 'When they asked him that question, the answer should have been, hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later.'

When asked the same question earlier, President Joe Biden said Benjamin Netanyahu 'should remember' US support for Israel when deciding on next steps.

During a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room, he said: 'If I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields.'

Biden added that the Israelis 'have not concluded how they're or what they're going to do' in retaliation for a huge ballistic missile attack by Iran on Israel on Tuesday.

This comes as a Lebanese hospital said its been shelled by Israeli forces after being warned to evacuate, as an IDF airstrike left two huge craters in a road linking Lebanon and Syria. 

Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon has claimed yesterday's attack resulted in nine members of staff being wounded- most sustaining serious injuries. Most hospital staff were evacuated.

It comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed 28 health workers in Lebanon had been killed in a 24-hour time frame on Thursday.

But the Israeli military alleged that rescue vehicles were being used by Hezbollah to transport militants and weapons.

On the same day as the hospital attack, a devastating Israeli airstrike cut off a main highway linking Lebanon with Syria on Friday, leaving two huge holes on both sides of the road. 

The air assault made the road unusable. forcing people to flee to the Massna Border Crossing on foot. 

Over the past two weeks thousands of people fleeing war in Lebanon have crossed through the border into Syria.