President Donald Trump is expected to decide within the next two weeks whether the United States will launch military strikes against Iran, amid growing tensions following a deadly exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Thursday that while the president continues to see a “substantial” possibility for diplomatic negotiations to achieve U.S. and Israeli demands over Iran’s nuclear program, a decision on military action will be made soon.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Leavitt quoted Trump as saying.

The development comes as hostilities between Iran and Israel intensify. On Thursday, Iranian missiles struck the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba and several residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people, according to Israeli officials. Rescue teams evacuated patients from the hospital as fires raged through parts of the facility.

In response, Israeli warplanes launched another round of attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz directly blamed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for the missile strikes and issued a chilling warning, saying, “The military has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.”

While the United States has not officially joined Israel’s campaign, discussions within the Trump administration continue over the possibility of targeting Iran’s fortified Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried deep underground and considered nearly impervious to conventional airstrikes.

Earlier in the week, U.S. officials confirmed that President Trump had vetoed an Israeli request to assassinate Khamenei. Trump later clarified that there were “no plans to kill him, at least not for now.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking from the bomb-damaged Soroka hospital, expressed confidence in the United States. “I can tell you that they’re already helping a lot,” he said. “I trust President Trump will do what’s best for America.”

According to Iranian human rights monitors based in Washington, the Israeli offensive—which began last Friday with coordinated strikes on nuclear and military targets—has left at least 639 Iranians dead, including 263 civilians. Over 1,300 others have reportedly been injured.

Iran has retaliated with hundreds of missiles and drones, resulting in at least 24 deaths and hundreds of injuries in Israel. Among the most alarming developments was the confirmation that at least one of the Iranian ballistic missiles used in Thursday’s strike was equipped with cluster munitions, posing significant risks to civilian areas due to its wide dispersal of deadly bomblets.

As both nations escalate their military actions, prospects for diplomatic resolution remain uncertain. International observers warn that any U.S. involvement in direct military strikes could dramatically widen the scope of the conflict.