President Donald Trump abruptly called off planned military strikes against Iran on Thursday, reversing course just hours after warning that the United States would attack the country “VERY HARD TONIGHT” and signaling a possible diplomatic breakthrough in the monthslong conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that he had canceled the scheduled attacks after what he described as significant progress in negotiations with Tehran.
“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump wrote.
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The president said a framework agreement to end the conflict had been approved by multiple nations involved in regional diplomacy, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt. However, Trump notably did not include Iran among the countries he listed, and Iranian officials had not publicly confirmed any agreement as of Thursday evening.
Speaking later in the Oval Office, Trump said he believed Iran’s leadership had approved what he characterized as a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran. He added that the agreement could be finalized within days and potentially signed by Vice President JD Vance during a diplomatic event in Europe.
The announcement marked the latest dramatic shift in a conflict that has repeatedly swung between military escalation and diplomatic negotiations since fighting intensified earlier this year.
Military Pressure Remains in Place
Despite canceling the strikes, Trump said the United States would maintain its naval blockade until a final agreement is formally signed.
He indicated the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, would remain in effect until negotiations are completed. Trump said the waterway would reopen immediately once a deal is finalized.
The administration’s continued military posture underscores the pressure campaign that has accompanied negotiations with Iran for months.
Threats of Escalation Reversed
Thursday’s announcement came after a morning filled with escalating rhetoric from the president.
Earlier in the day, Trump threatened additional military action and warned that the United States was preparing to take control of Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub in the Persian Gulf.
But within hours, the president appeared to temper those threats during an interview with Fox News.
“I’m not sure the country has the appetite for it,” Trump said when discussing the possibility of a prolonged military operation involving the island. “And that’s OK, I understand that.”
The comments highlighted Trump’s balancing act between projecting military strength and acknowledging growing public skepticism about deeper U.S. involvement in the conflict.
The president has repeatedly alternated between issuing forceful warnings and emphasizing his desire to avoid a broader war. In April, shortly before a previous ceasefire agreement, Trump warned that a “whole civilization will die tonight” before later backing diplomatic efforts.
Kharg Island Considered Strategic Target
Military analysts have viewed Kharg Island as a potentially decisive target because it serves as Iran’s primary oil export terminal and a critical source of revenue for the Iranian government.
While U.S. forces have previously targeted military facilities connected to Iran’s operations, the administration has largely avoided directly attacking major energy infrastructure.
Some Trump allies have argued that controlling or neutralizing Kharg Island could force Tehran into concessions by restricting its ability to generate oil revenue.
However, military experts note that physically seizing the island would require a complex and potentially dangerous ground operation involving American troops, a scenario Trump has repeatedly sought to avoid.
“I don’t want to have boots on the ground,” Trump said Thursday. “If I wanted to, we could put a small group of soldiers and take over the whole place.”
Regional Conflict Continues
The conflict remains volatile despite renewed diplomatic efforts.
On Wednesday, Trump blamed Iran for an incident involving a U.S. Army Apache helicopter that crashed near Oman earlier this week. The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the cause of the crash, which remains under investigation.
Iran and the United States have continued exchanging strikes indirectly through attacks on military assets and regional partners across the Middle East.
Some Republican foreign policy hawks had welcomed Trump’s earlier threats. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., praised the possibility of stronger action against Iran and argued that targeting Kharg Island could dramatically shift leverage in negotiations.
Graham said Iran has repeatedly used provocations to strengthen its bargaining position and questioned whether Tehran can be trusted to follow through on any future agreement.
For now, however, Trump appears to be betting that continued economic and military pressure, combined with diplomacy, can produce an agreement without further escalation.
