The pause came as officials reported progress in talks aimed at easing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz…reports Asian Lite News Desk
US President Donald Trump directed the military to suspend new strikes against Iran on Friday, ending 13 consecutive days of air operations as diplomatic efforts gathered pace through Oman to ease tensions in the Gulf.
The decision came hours after an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran for negotiations focused on reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
According to Axios, citing two regional sources familiar with the talks, negotiators have made progress and a potential agreement between Oman and Iran could be finalised over the weekend. If reached, Trump would have to decide whether to accept the proposed deal.
Despite the operational pause, the US military remains on standby for possible combat operations should the President decide to resume strikes. While contingency plans continue to be updated, Trump has not authorised any escalation.
According to Axios, military officials had presented Trump with a fresh strike plan on Friday, as they had done each day over the previous two weeks. Unlike previous occasions, however, the President declined to approve the operation and instructed the military not to proceed.
Speaking to reporters at the White House shortly after issuing the directive, Trump stressed that the US retained the capability to intensify military action if necessary but said diplomacy remained his preferred option.
“We’re talking to [the Iranians] right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious as the days go by. We’re locked and loaded and ready to go, but we’re talking to them,” Trump said.
Later in the day, while speaking at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Trump adopted a more cautious tone, saying he did not believe Iran was ready to reach an agreement immediately but remained willing to negotiate, Axios reported.
The pause reportedly caught key regional allies by surprise. According to Axios, Israel’s security cabinet and the Israel Defense Forces had expected another round of US airstrikes on Friday and had prepared for the possibility of a large-scale bombing campaign that could have prompted retaliatory attacks against Israel.
Without clarity on Washington’s intentions, Israeli forces remained on high alert throughout the day before officials were informed on Friday night that Trump had decided against authorising further strikes.
Earlier, Iranian Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour appeared to acknowledge the lull in hostilities, posting on X: “Iran had a peaceful night.”
The operational pause also marked a break from the US Central Command’s recent pattern of announcing daily offensive actions during the previous 13 days.
Although military action has temporarily paused, tensions remain high across the region, with the Strait of Hormuz continuing to be a focal point of the standoff between Iran and the United States.
