Trump halts air strikes on Iran, leaving room for negotiations on Strait of Hormuz
According to CCTV News, on July 25, local time, US President Trump ordered the US military not to launch new air strikes against Iran that day, ending the previous daily strikes that lasted for nearly two weeks and lasted for 13 days. For the past 13 days, Trump had approved attacks on Iran every day. It was unclear whether Trump's order on Friday was just a one-time pause or meant the attacks would continue to be paused. Although the United States and Iran once reached a ceasefire agreement in mid-June, the agreement has collapsed and the two sides have been attacking each other for nearly two weeks.
According to CCTV News, on July 25, local time, US President Trump ordered the US military not to launch new air strikes against Iran that day, ending the previous daily strikes that lasted for nearly two weeks and lasted for 13 days. For the past 13 days, Trump had approved attacks on Iran every day. It was unclear whether Trump's order on Friday was just a one-time pause or meant the attacks would continue to be paused. Although the United States and Iran once reached a ceasefire agreement in mid-June, the agreement has collapsed and the two sides have been attacking each other for nearly two weeks. Trump's decision reflects both his willingness to leave more room for diplomatic negotiations and his awareness that unless large-scale combat operations are resumed, the current effectiveness of the United States' strike efforts is approaching the limit. If Trump orders the resumption of attacks, the US military can be mobilized in a relatively short period of time. People familiar with the matter said that the US military is still making plans for the possible resumption of large-scale combat operations, but Trump has not yet issued relevant instructions. Over the past two weeks, Trump has approved attack plans submitted by the military every afternoon, often within hours. People familiar with the matter said that Trump also received an attack plan on Friday Eastern Time, but did not approve it. Instead, he instructed the military not to launch an attack. Shortly after making this directive, Trump told the media at the White House that he still had the option to continue the attack or even escalate it further, including "destroying everything they have." However, he also made it clear that he believed the "smarter strategy" was to "reach a deal" with Iran. Trump's order to suspend firing came hours after an Omani delegation arrived in Iran's capital, Tehran, on Friday to begin talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Oman is known as the "Switzerland of the Middle East" due to its long-term commitment to neutral diplomacy. The country has long been a key mediator in regional crises and is one of the few countries to enjoy the trust of both Iran and the United States. Since the end of February this year, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has continued to be blocked due to war. Currently, reducing dependence on the Strait of Hormuz has become a strategic priority for Gulf oil-producing countries. According to sources, relevant negotiations have made progress and Oman and Iran may reach an agreement over the weekend. At that point, Trump will need to decide whether to accept the proposed deal.