By Alexander Cornwell, Parisa Hafezi and Jana ChoukeirTEL AVIV/DUBAI (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted a "real deal" to end the nuclear problem with Iran and indicated he may send senior American officials to meet with the Islamic Republic as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth straight day.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday that President Donald Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between U.S. ally Israel and Tehran,

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman also voices 'deep concern' about Iranian state TV being targeted by Israel - Anadolu Ajansı

Israeli forces stepped up bombing of Iranian cities, while Iran pierced Israeli air defences with a successful volleys of retaliatory missile strikes.

Tehran has asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire with Iran in return for Tehran's flexibility in nuclear negotiations,