Trump cancels Iran strikes; Gaza conflict continues
Trump halted planned U.S. strikes on Iran to pursue a fast-track deal on Tehran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, even as Israel pressed its deadly Gaza offensive and Hamas vowed to keep its weapons.
President Donald Trump announced he has cancelled U.S. military strikes against Iran after Tehran signalled openness to rapid negotiations on its nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, even as Israeli forces continued their assault on Gaza, drawing new international condemnation.
Trump's pivot to diplomacy
In a late-night social media post, Trump said Iran and "other Middle Eastern Countries" had requested time to complete a deal that would lead to the "Immediate, Complete and Total" reopening of the strategic waterway and an end to Iran's nuclear threat. "Based on this request," he wrote, "I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL." He added that Israel "joins me in this commitment."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier warned his Turkish, Pakistani and Saudi counterparts that the Islamic Republic would respond "decisively" to any further U.S. "aggression". Over the weekend, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on the Al-Azraq Base in Jordan, targeting an F-35 repair hangar and ramp. That strike came as the U.S. was reportedly preparing major military action against Iran's energy infrastructure.
Saudi intervention and regional diplomacy
Citing U.S. officials, Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman telephoned Trump on Saturday, urging him to de-escalate and hold off on the strikes. Saudi state media quoted the crown prince on Sunday stressing "the necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions" and the importance of achieving a truce that "paves the way for diplomatic solutions". He said such solutions should "yield positive results for preserving the security and stability of the region and prevent it from being drawn into a wider conflict."
Israeli attacks on Gaza persist
While Trump's announcement offered a potential off-ramp in the Iran standoff, there was no let-up in Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The Israeli military said it killed two Hamas commanders in air strikes on Friday and Saturday, identifying them as Salem Jamal Abd al-Rahman Abu Labad, an alleged cell commander in Hamas's Nukhba special forces, and Muhammad Abd al-Nasser Muhammad Khatib, an alleged commander in Hamas's Maghazi Battalion. Then on Sunday, Israeli strikes killed nine Palestinians, including three children, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza says Israel's military operations have now killed 73,356 people since October 2023.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad respond
On Sunday morning, a Hamas delegation met with officials from Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Cairo, where the two groups stressed the need to force Israel to end its military offensive and fully withdraw from Gaza. They called for "developing joint action and unified national positions, and exerting all efforts to protect the Palestinian people and restore their legitimate rights."
This political push comes as Trump on Friday said the "Board of Peace" would collect Hamas's weapons as the group begins to disarm — even though the board itself had earlier announced that a Palestinian technocratic body would take on that role. Hamas, for its part, insisted that any agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Palestinian factions in Gaza depends on Washington and Israel honouring commitments made under the 10 October ceasefire deal. Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas representative, told Reuters that the group would keep its weapons until Israel halted attacks, allowed more aid and goods into Gaza, and withdrew its forces.
What next?
The cancellation of the Iran strike is a fragile step toward de-escalation, but the success of any deal remains uncertain. Trump's demand for a rapid agreement on the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear programme sets a tight timeline, while Tehran insists on concrete guarantees. Meanwhile, the conflict in Gaza shows no signs of abating, and the gap between Washington's rhetoric on peace and Israel's continued military operations remains wide. With regional leaders like Saudi Arabia pushing for dialogue, the coming days will test whether diplomacy can move beyond words and deliver a lasting calmer in both theatres.