Trump also claimed that Tehran was now seeking talks at the White House but warned that the opportunity for dialogue might have come too late

Former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Michael Rubin, expressed concerns about US President Donald Trump's approach to international conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia

Rubin criticised Trump for lacking a full sense of history and prioritising his desire for a Nobel Peace Prize over national security interests

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, a human rights group said on Thursday

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists released the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 263 civilians and 154 security force personnel being killed

Iran has not given regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimised casualties in the past

Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people being killed and 1,277 others being wounded