“Strike Iran’s nuclear sites first”: Donald Trump’s advice to Israel

WASHINGTON: Republican White House nominee Donald Trump said on Friday he believes Israel should attack Iran’s nuclear installations in response to recent missile attacks by the Islamic Republic.

Speaking at a campaign event in North Carolina, the former president referred to a question he asked Democratic President Joe Biden this week about Israel’s likelihood of targeting Iran’s nuclear programme.

“He asked him, what do you think about Iran, would you attack Iran? And he said, ‘Unless they attack with nuclear weapons.’ That’s the thing you want to hit, isn’t it?” Trump said at a town hall style event near a major US military base in Fayetteville.

Biden was asked on Wednesday if he would support an attack on Iranian nuclear sites and the US president told reporters: “The answer is no.”

“I think he’s wrong,” Trump said in response to a participant’s question on the issue on Friday. “Isn’t that what you should have done? I mean, that’s the biggest risk to us, nuclear weapons,” he said.

“When they asked him that question, the answer should have been, attack the nuclear weapon first, and worry about the rest later,” Trump said.

“If they’re going to do it, they’ll do it. But we’ll find out what their plan is.”

Biden on Wednesday opposed such attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities in response to the firing of about 200 Iranian missiles toward Israel.

“We’ll discuss with the Israelis what they’re going to do,” he said, adding that all G7 members agreed that Israel “has a right to respond, but they should respond proportionately.”

Trump, who is facing a tough presidential contest with US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, has spoken little about the recent rise in tensions in the Middle East.

He issued a scathing statement this week blaming Biden and Harris for the crisis.