WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning Thursday, suggesting a “massive conflict” in the Middle East could erupt “soon” as tensions between Israel and Iran approach a critical tipping point.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said a possible Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure was increasingly likely. “I don’t want to say imminent, but it’s something that could very well happen,” he stated, acknowledging growing concern over Tehran’s nuclear escalation and Israel’s military posture.

The comments came just hours before Israel carried out a series of major airstrikes inside Iranian territory early Friday, targeting nuclear facilities and long-range missile sites in what Israeli officials described as a preemptive move.

U.S. intelligence agencies had been on heightened alert all week. According to senior officials in Washington, the likelihood of Israeli military action increased after Iran vowed to accelerate its nuclear activities in response to a fresh censure from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency recently passed a resolution accusing Iran of failing to meet its non-proliferation obligations.

The U.S. conducted emergency assessments at several embassies across the Middle East in anticipation of potential fallout. Trump revealed that he had ordered early warning steps to safeguard American personnel in the region.

“We have a lot of American people in this area, and I said, look, we gotta tell them to get out cause something could happen – soon,” he explained. “I don’t want to be the one that didn’t give any warning and missiles are flying into their buildings.”

Trump added that while the move carried political risk, he believed the precaution could save lives: “Doing it has its downside but it also has its upside.”

The former president, now in his second term, emphasized that he remains committed to diplomacy as the primary path to resolving the nuclear standoff with Iran. In a post on Truth Social later Thursday, Trump wrote: “We are committed to a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Issue!”

Even as preparations for potential conflict ramped up, Trump made it clear he preferred a negotiated outcome to the current nuclear impasse. A sixth round of nuclear talks with Iran is scheduled to take place Sunday in Oman.

“I want to have an agreement with Iran. We’re fairly close to an agreement,” Trump said. However, he also expressed concern that a military escalation could derail diplomatic efforts.

“As long as I think there is an agreement, I don’t want [Israel] going in because that would blow it,” he said. “Might help it, actually, but also could blow it.”

Despite expressing a desire for restraint, Trump’s comments reflect growing uncertainty in Washington over Israel’s next moves—and whether diplomacy alone can still avert a broader war in the region.