Trump Announces US and Israel Will Hold Off on Strikes Against Iran Pending Rapid Deal
AI-assisted original article by 1news, based on reporting from INQUIRER.net. Featured image credited to the source.
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States and Israel have agreed to delay new military strikes against Iran, contingent on swiftly reaching a deal to end the ongoing conflict that has lasted over five months. This announcement came amid heightened fears of escalating violence after Trump had previously threatened to launch severe attacks on Iran, including targeting its energy infrastructure.
Trump stated that the US military was prepared and ready to act against Iran with unprecedented force but that Iran and other Middle Eastern nations had requested a pause in hostilities. In response to these appeals, Trump agreed to cancel planned attacks, emphasizing the importance of this decision for the future benefit of the world and the survival of a prosperous Iran. He made this declaration on his Truth Social platform, underscoring the conditional nature of the cancellation, which depends on rapidly finalizing a deal.
Central to the proposed agreement is the immediate, complete, and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply transits. Trump also insisted that the deal must include an end to Iran's nuclear threat. He noted that Israel has joined the United States in this commitment to halt strikes and work toward a resolution.
The conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran, and despite a previous ceasefire agreement that included reopening the Strait of Hormuz, hostilities resumed after the deal collapsed. Since then, Iran has tightened its control over the waterway, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees, which has led to a sharp decline in maritime traffic through the strait, according to maritime tracking firm Kpler.
The resumption of fighting has caused global oil prices to rise again after an initial dip during the ceasefire. The ongoing conflict also poses political challenges for Trump’s Republican Party ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled in three months.
US embassies across the Middle East issued warnings on Saturday, advising citizens to be prepared for unforeseen escalations and to consider leaving the region. Reports from CBS News indicated that the US and Israel were planning joint strikes, potentially targeting oil refineries and power plants, though these plans were ultimately put on hold.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman reportedly called Trump on Saturday to express concerns about the planned strikes. According to unnamed US officials cited by Axios, the crown prince urged Trump to de-escalate tensions and refrain from launching attacks. The White House did not immediately comment on these reports.
Despite the lull in strikes overnight Friday to Saturday, exchanges of fire between Iran and the US resumed last month. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News earlier in the week that the US had significantly degraded Iran’s defenses and that Tehran appeared willing, and in some cases eager, to negotiate on denuclearization and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Recent incidents have added to regional tensions, including a drone attack on a US-owned gas vessel in an Egyptian port, which is under investigation, and an unknown projectile striking a tanker off the coast of Oman, according to a British maritime agency. Meanwhile, Iran continues to exert control over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining strict regulations on vessel passage.
In the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another strategic waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen denied claims that they intended to charge ships for passage, despite the increasing importance of this route for Saudi Arabian oil exports.
As the US and Israel hold off on further strikes, the focus now turns to the rapid negotiation of a deal that addresses the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the cessation of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with the hope of bringing an end to the months-long conflict and stabilizing the region.