Patience thin, Trump says, as Iran again barrages Israel

Iran launched another volley of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday night local time, the Israeli military said—the fifth day in a row of the conflict. President Donald Trump wrote soon after the launch that American patience with Iran was running out. Officials know exactly where Iran’s so-called supreme leader is hiding, and he’s an easy target, according to Trump’s Tuesday afternoon post. He’s safe for now, but missiles should not be targeting civilians or American soldiers, he added. The president seemed to demand Iran’s unconditional surrender in a social media post less than five minutes later. Israel first targeted an Iranian nuclear site with missiles last Thursday in an attempt to stunt the country’s nuclear program. Iran retaliated in kind, and the countries have continued exchanging missile volleys.

What is the latest from the conflict? Israeli forces on Tuesday released animated graphics showing targets it claimed to have struck in both Iran and Yemen. Israeli missiles only focus on military and nuclear targets, while Iranian strikes target civilian population centers, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar claimed Tuesday. Israel’s goals are clear: damage Iran's nuclear and missile programs, and stop plans to eliminate the State of Israel, he added. On Monday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to deal heavy blows to the Israeli government.

Is the United States planning on getting involved? It wasn’t immediately clear on Tuesday afternoon how the president planned to respond to Iran. Trump is meeting with national security officials in the Situation Room, a White House official told CNN. The president has shown remarkable restraint in focusing on keeping American troops and people safe, Vice President J.D. Vance said Tuesday morning. Ultimately, the president will decide whether the United States will act, and he has earned trust on that issue, he added. Vance added personal assurances that Trump’s only goal in using the U.S. military is to accomplish America’s goals.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s previous report for more on recent Iran-Israel tensions.