Trump pauses Iran strikes as diplomacy regains momentum

President Donald Trump halted planned US strikes on Iran on Friday after 13 consecutive nights of attacks, opening a narrow diplomatic window as Oman pressed talks over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The order marked the first night without a new American bombing operation in almost two weeks, but it did not amount to a ceasefire. US forces remained deployed across the region, the naval blockade of Iranian ports stayed in place and military planners continued preparing options should Trump authorise another round of attacks.

Trump had approved strike packages presented by commanders each afternoon during the 13-day campaign. The plans were typically executed within hours against military command centres, drone storage sites, communications networks, coastal surveillance systems and maritime capabilities linked to attacks on commercial shipping.

The sudden pause surprised Israeli officials, who had expected further US action and had prepared for possible Iranian retaliation. Washington had also considered a far larger assault after Trump said he was close to deciding on a “massive attack”, but advisers warned that wider operations could deepen regional instability and place further pressure on stocks of air-defence interceptors.

Diplomacy gained urgency when an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday for discussions on mechanisms to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway has been the central fault line in the conflict, with Washington demanding safer and less restricted passage while Tehran insists that any future arrangement must recognise the sovereign rights of Iran and Oman as coastal states.

The strait normally carries about one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption and more than a quarter of seaborne oil trade. Months of disruption have reduced Gulf exports, lifted crude prices and forced producers and shipping companies to use costly alternatives. At least 6,000 mariners have been stranded aboard roughly 400 vessels around the passage during the latest escalation.

The United States and Iran signed a memorandum in June aimed at ending hostilities and restoring traffic, but their competing interpretations quickly undermined it. Washington viewed the agreement as requiring broadly open access. Tehran argued that vessels still needed to comply with Iranian procedures and that longer-term management should be negotiated with Oman and other Gulf states.

The dispute returned to open warfare after attacks on tankers and renewed US bombing. Iran responded with missiles and drones directed at American-linked facilities and regional allies, while Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait activated air defences. US Central Command said Thursday’s operations completed a 13th consecutive night of strikes.

Friday’s restraint coincided with a quieter night over Iran, yet violence spread elsewhere. The Houthis attacked Saudi oil facilities at Jizan and Yanbu and declared a blockade targeting Saudi Arabia, drawing air strikes from the Saudi-led coalition against positions in Yemen. The confrontation threatened the Bab el-Mandeb route, another vital shipping corridor connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Iran also accused Ukraine of attacking one of its vessels in the Caspian Sea, adding another layer to a conflict already involving Gulf states, Israel, Yemen’s Houthis and armed groups across the region. The widening geography has increased pressure on Washington to prevent a tactical campaign from turning into a broader war across several maritime theatres.

Vice-President JD Vance and senior military officials were among those urging caution as Trump weighed the costs of escalation against the risks of appearing to retreat. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has maintained that Washington remains open to talks while accusing Tehran of failing to engage seriously.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said there is no military solution to the crisis, but Tehran has resisted proposals that do not address control of Hormuz and restrictions on US operations. Oman, Qatar and Pakistan have emerged as the principal intermediaries, while Iraq has also attempted to carry messages between the sides.