‘Daddy used strong words’: Rutte jokes at Nato meet; Trump likens Iran-Israel clash to schoolyard fight

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday jokingly referred to US President Donald Trump as “daddy,” saying he had to use strong language to stop Iran and Israel from fighting, like “two kids in a schoolyard.“Speaking at a media briefing during the Nato summit in the Netherlands, Trump said: “They’ve had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard. You know, they fight like hell. You can’t stop them. Let them fight for about two or three minutes, then it’s easier to stop.”To that, Rutte quipped: “And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language.”Trump laughed at the remark and acknowledged, “Everyone said, ‘Well, you have to use a certain word.’” The comment referenced Trump’s expletive-laced outburst before departing for the summit, visibly frustrated by fears that the Iran-Israel ceasefire could collapse.On June 22, the US carried out Operation Midnight Hammer, launching a massive airstrike targeting three of Iran’s key underground nuclear facilities. The mission involved 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, aimed at crippling Iran’s uranium enrichment programme.According to the Pentagon, over 125 aircraft were involved in the operation, including stealth bombers, fighters, support planes, and surveillance craft. A total of 75 precision-guided weapons were used, including 14 bunker busters and more than two dozen cruise missiles.