The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv on June 18, 2025. Photo: VCG

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether the US military will get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran given the "substantial chance" for renewed diplomatic negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, as the two sides attacked one another for a seventh day, according to the Associated Press. 

Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America's "bunker-buster" bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said the report.

In a rare Hebrew-language interview with the Kan public broadcaster, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "has destroyed at least half of Iran's missile launchers, eliminated key military leaders, is targeting paramilitary forces and will hit all of Iran's nuclear sites — including the heavily fortified Fordo nuclear facility," according to The Times of Israel. 

Addressing concerns over Israel's reportedly depleted stock of Arrow missile interceptors, Netanyahu said the US was resupplying them, according to the report.

Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, together with Kaja Kallas, the European Union foreign policy chief, are scheduled to hold talks on Friday with their Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to The New York Times.

David Lammy, Britain's foreign minister, said Thursday afternoon in a statement on social media: "The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon." He added that "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution." 

The report also noted that "If the meeting, scheduled for Geneva, takes place, it would be the most significant European involvement since Israel launched its surprise attacks against Iran last week. And it would be the first in-person discussions between Iran and the West since Israel began attacking Iran's nuclear facilities and other sites."

On Thursday local time, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, told CCTV in an exclusive interview that China is deeply concerned about the possible escalation of tensions in the Middle East. 

Fu said that the view of the overwhelming majority within the international community is that both Israel and Iran should immediately agree to a ceasefire and protect civilians, while the nuclear issue can only be resolved through negotiations. In this spirit, Fu emphasized that the UN Security Council needs to take concrete action on this matter.