Trump cancels planned Iran attack after deal framework, announces reopening of Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON, DC: President Trump announced Saturday, August 1, that he has canceled a planned US military strike on Iran, saying Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to hold off after the two sides agreed on the "perimeters" of a deal.

In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump said the US remains "locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of military terror, strength, and power not seen since World War II," but that he agreed to cancel the attack "for the future benefit of the world and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran."

A pause after mounting pressure and reported strike plans

The announcement comes as the conflict, now in its 154th day since fighting began on February 28, has escalated sharply in recent days.

Multiple sources had told CBS News that the US and Israel were preparing a powerful joint bombing campaign targeting Iranian energy infrastructure over the weekend, and local media reported Thursday that three members of a family were killed in US strikes on Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, for its part, struck a US air base in Jordan on July 17, killing two American service members, and its Revolutionary Guard navy claimed to have struck and halted three tankers in the strait just days before Trump's announcement.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called Trump on Saturday, August 1, urging restraint shortly before the Truth Social post went out.

Trump said the emerging deal would include the "Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and "an end to Iran's nuclear threat," adding that "the Country of Israel joins me in this commitment."

He closed the post with a directive to negotiators: "Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE."

A deal still short of final terms

Even though it was presented as a major achievement, Trump's statement only refers to the "perimeters" of the agreement, and he stated that the pause in attacks is "subject to our being able to quickly make a deal", a phrase indicating that the details are still being negotiated rather than being final.

It should also be pointed out that it is not the first time that Trump has announced a pause or ceasefire linked to reopening the strait; similar announcements in April and June either collapsed or were followed by renewed hostilities.

Since the war started, the Strait of Hormuz has been claimed several times in a rhetorical sense, Trump declaring it had been reopened in mid-July only for Iran to keep challenging shipping through the waterway, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil traffic.

As of Saturday evening, neither the Iranian government nor Israel had given their own public confirmation of the arrangement; so far, the announcement depends mainly on Trump's version of the talks.