As Iran War Escalates, Trump Says Israel Won't Use Nuclear Weapon

Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 23:46 IST

Trump said that the US administration has no knowledge about whether Iran’s newly selected supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive.

US President Donald Trump on Monday assured that Israel will not use nuclear weapon.

“Israel wouldn’t do that. Israel would never do that," Trump said while replying to a question about a call from his unofficial AI adviser David Sacks for the US to quickly declare victory against Iran or risk getting entangled in the conflict where Israel could well use a nuclear weapon.

He pointed out that he has not heard any comments from Sacks. He was addressing reporters at the White House.

Check Latest Updates On Iran-Israel War Status Today

Trump said the US administration has no knowledge about whether Iran’s newly selected supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive, after declaring last week that he likely is. “We don’t know if he’s dead or not," he said.

Last week, he said Mojtaba was alive but “probably damaged in some form".

Also Read: Trump Says US Destroyed Over 30 Iranian Mine Laying Ships In Strait Of Hormuz

The Times of Israel quoted him saying that “some people" are “saying that he lost his leg… Other people are saying he’s dead. Nobody’s saying he’s 100% healthy."

Speaking ahead of a meeting with Trump Kennedy Center Board Members, Trump said more than 30 mine laying ships of Iran have been destroyed which has affected Tehran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are hammering their capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz with more than 30 mine laying ships destroyed. We hit to the best of our knowledge, all of their mine laying ships. Now they can put them on other types of ships," he said.

News world As Iran War Escalates, Trump Says Israel Won't Use Nuclear Weapon

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