According to a report by The Times of Israel on Monday, May 18, 2026, United States President Donald Trump announced that he had halted a major military strike against Iran that was reportedly scheduled to take place on Tuesday, following assurances from Gulf leaders that renewed negotiations with Tehran could lead to a diplomatic breakthrough.…....
Trump made the announcement through a post on Truth Social, stating that he had been urged by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to suspend the planned operation because “serious negotiations” were now underway.
According to Trump, the Gulf leaders expressed confidence that a deal acceptable to the United States, the Middle East, and the wider international community could soon be reached.
In his statement, Trump emphasized that any potential agreement must guarantee that Iran would not possess nuclear weapons. He appeared to reference ongoing discussions surrounding uranium enrichment, although he did not provide details on whether Tehran would be required to permanently halt enrichment activities.
The US president further revealed that he had instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and the American military to stand down from the scheduled strike.
However, Trump warned that the military had also been directed to remain fully prepared for a “full, large scale assault” on Iran should negotiations collapse or fail to produce what he described as an acceptable agreement.
The latest development comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran since the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28. Throughout the conflict, Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran before later signaling optimism over diplomatic progress.
Despite the renewed negotiations, the report noted that Tehran has not indicated any willingness to permanently end its nuclear program, scale back its missile development, or reduce support for regional proxy groups. Those issues remain key demands that Israel has reportedly continued to push the United States to prioritize in negotiations with Iran.
