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Strike Called Off
U.S. President Donald Trump said he canceled a planned attack on Iran after Iran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him "to hold off any attack" because "the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to."
“to hold off any attack" on Iran because "the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the agreement would include the "Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and "an end to Iran's nuclear threat."
The Times of India reported that Trump framed the pause as a response to requests from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, contingent on rapid deal finalisation.
In Israel, Ynetnews said the uncertainty around Trump’s decisions repeatedly forced the IDF into heightened states of readiness, including targeted call-ups in several Israeli Air Force units before Trump again called off the anticipated operation.
Divergent Claims
While Trump said Israel was part of the commitment, The Times of India reported that Iranian officials warned that any US or Israeli military action, or regional support for such action, would be met with a proportionate response.
Iran’s acting Defense Minister, Seyyed Majid Ibn Al-Reza, said in a state media post on X that the threats were part of a "psychological and cognitive warfare campaign" and that Iran "consider every threat to be real and take it seriously," according to CNBC.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran denied Trump’s claim that Tehran asked the US to refrain from conducting new strikes, citing military officials who said the allegation "was nothing but a new lie."
Ynetnews added that Israeli officials said every signal from Washington has an immediate impact on IDF force deployment and operational planning, especially as Israeli divisions remain engaged simultaneously in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon.
Readiness and Stakes
Ynetnews said Israel reinforced the West Bank with additional battalions, bringing the total number of battalions operating there to about 26, and that Central Command approved plans for targeted operations expected to last 48 hours or longer.
“bringing the total number of battalions operating there to about 26”
The Washington Post reported that Israel remained on high alert as Trump cited progress on a deal to end the war, and it quoted Iran’s acting defense minister calling Trump’s post a form of "psychological operations and cognitive warfare."
NPR said a statement carried by Saudi Arabia’s state news agency on Sunday said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized "the necessity of prioritizing dialogue to de-escalate tensions" and the importance of preventing the region from being drawn into a wider conflict.
Across the reporting, the deal conditions repeatedly centered on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resolving Iran’s nuclear threat, while CNBC noted that U.S. embassies in Iraq, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates warned Americans to consider leaving or be prepared to depart amid growing tensions.
