Pope Leo XIV

[Jitendra Hydonus]

BREAKING: Pope Leo XIV Condemns Trump's Iran Strikes as Three U.S. Troops Die

Pope Leo XIV has issued a forceful denunciation of the United States and Israel's military campaign against Iran, calling for an immediate return to diplomacy as the conflict's death toll continues to climb. The pontiff expressed grave concern over the escalating violence, warning that threats and weapons only breed destruction rather than lasting peace.

"Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue," the pope wrote on X.

Trump launched the offensive, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, without seeking Congressional approval, declaring it would continue uninterrupted for as long as necessary. The strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but key elements of the Iranian government remain intact. Three American service members have already lost their lives in the operation, and a strike on an elementary school killed dozens of young girls, with the overall civilian death toll reaching as high as 150.

Iran has since retaliated, launching strikes targeting Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, all of which host U.S. military installations. The pope made an urgent appeal to all parties to halt the "spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm," urging diplomacy to "regain its proper role."

The condemnation carries added weight given that the Vatican previously rejected Trump's personal invitation to join his so-called "Board of Peace." Pope Leo has been a consistent critic of the Trump administration, pushing back against the attack on Venezuela, the treatment of detained migrants, and the administration's immigration crackdown. The Chicago-born pontiff is notably skipping the United States entirely during his upcoming travels.