Smoke from an explosion in southwest Tehran billows on Monday. AFP-Yonhap
Smoke from an explosion in southwest Tehran billows on Monday. AFP-Yonhap

KANANASKIS, Canada (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Monday urged residents of Tehran to leave, backing warnings from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has launched a massive attack on Iran.

"Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account during a Group of Seven summit in Canada.

Trump did not elaborate. Nearly 10 million people live in the Iranian capital.

The warning comes as Israel ramps up attacks in Iran which it says are aimed at destroying the cleric-run state's contested nuclear work.

The Israeli military earlier issued a notice urging residents of one district of Tehran to evacuate, an echo of its tactics in Gaza where it has displaced most of the Palestinian population since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

Trump has repeatedly declined to say if the United States would participate in Israeli military action, although he says it was not involved in initial strikes.

China tells citizens to leave Israel 'as soon as possible'

BEIJING (AFP) — China's embassy in Israel on Tuesday urged its citizens to leave the country "as soon as possible," after Israel and Iran traded heavy strikes.

"The Chinese mission in Israel reminds Chinese nationals to leave the country as soon as possible via land border crossings, on the precondition that they can guarantee their personal safety," the embassy said in a statement on WeChat.

"It is recommended to depart in the direction of Jordan," it added.

The Chinese Embassy said on Tuesday the conflict was "continuing to escalate."

"Much civilian infrastructure has been damaged, civilian casualties are on the rise, and the security situation is becoming more serious," it said.