US President Donald Trump has issued an explicit order to the Pentagon to temporarily halt US military strikes against targets in Iran.
The decision ends an intense 13-day campaign of consecutive daily airstrikes. This unexpected diplomatic move was taken in order to open a window for peace talks in the Middle East.
The information about the military pause was first revealed by the authoritative American publication Axios (www.axios.com), which refers to two independent high-ranking sources from the administration in Washington. According to the report, Trump received the regular plan for new airstrikes on Friday afternoon, but instead of signing it, he ordered the armed forces to hold fire.
Progress in Omani mediation
The White House's decision coincides with the arrival of an official Omani delegation in Tehran. Regional diplomatic sources confirmed to Axios that negotiations to reach a new agreement on shipping and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz are making serious progress. The final framework of the document is expected to be developed over the weekend, after which the US president will have to personally approve the agreed terms.
The Iranian nuclear case and US tactics
„We are currently talking to them. "I think they're getting more serious every day," Donald Trump told reporters at the White House, quoted in an Investing.com (www.investing.com) review. The American leader stressed that despite the readiness to completely destroy Iran's military infrastructure, reaching a diplomatic deal is the "smarter strategy." Washington's main goal remains clear: Iran should not have nuclear weapons.
Military analysts, quoted by Al-Arabiya (www.english.alarabiya.net), indicate that the 13-day bombing campaign so far has reached its operational limit of effectiveness. Any further escalation would require the initiation of a large-scale conventional land and air war.
Changes in regional security
Despite the lull that has occurred, the situation remains high-risk:
- US Military Readiness: US forces in the region remain in a state of full combat readiness („locked and loaded“) and have the capacity to resume attacks immediately if negotiations fail.
- Warnings from Iran: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a statement on state-run IRIB television that neighboring Gulf states and Britain will become legitimate military targets if they provide logistical support for future US operations.
- Israeli reaction: According to Axios sources, the Israeli security cabinet and the armed forces were prepared for new joint strikes on Friday night and were surprised by the sudden order for a tactical retreat from the US.
More details about the chronology of the conflict and the diplomatic shuttles in Doha can be found in the international section of the Reuters news agency (reuters.com).