“Trump Iran strike pause efforts intensified Monday after Gulf allies urged Washington to delay planned military action against Tehran amid growing regional tensions.“
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned military strike on Iran after urgent appeals from Gulf allies, easing immediate fears of a direct regional war but leaving American forces on heightened alert across the Middle East. Speaking at the White House, Trump said Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates asked Washington to delay military action while negotiations continued with Tehran over its nuclear programme.
“There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out”, Trump said. “If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I’d be very happy”. The strike had reportedly been scheduled for Tuesday.
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Gulf states push for delay
According to statements cited in multiple live reports, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed urged the US to hold off for “two to three days” to allow diplomatic channels to continue. Trump repeated his hard-line position on Iran’s nuclear programme during the briefing.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon”, he said, adding that the US military remained prepared for a “full, large scale assault” if talks collapsed. The White House has not disclosed potential targets or operational details.
Oil markets reacted immediately. Traders closely watched the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf shipping route that carries roughly 20% of global oil trade. Prices briefly surged before stabilising later in the day.
Fighting spreads across region
The diplomatic push unfolded as violence intensified across multiple fronts in the region. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 14 attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon on Monday, saying drones, rockets and artillery were used in coordinated strikes near the border.
Israeli forces also carried out raids in Ramallah and al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank, according to the Wafa news agency.
At sea, Israeli naval units intercepted aid flotilla vessels attempting to reach Gaza. Organisers accused Israeli forces of boarding boats in international waters near Cyprus. Two weeks earlier, Israeli forces reportedly stopped 22 flotilla vessels and detained 181 activists.
Trump also claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the US military and opposed Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. Beijing has not publicly confirmed the remarks.
For more updates follow: First Report News
