Trump pulled back from striking Iran just hours before launch

The Middle East may have come within hours of a major military escalation after US President Donald Trump reportedly canceled planned strikes on Iran only three hours before they were set to begin.

According to US officials, American forces had already received attack orders, Navy warships were in position, munitions were prepared, and military planners were awaiting the final green light when Trump abruptly announced that a deal with Tehran had been reached and called off the operation.

The stunning reversal appears to have caught even senior officials and key allies by surprise. Reports indicate Israel was not part of the agreement and was blindsided by Trump’s announcement, while military officials were reportedly more shocked by the cancellation than by the prospect of launching the strikes themselves.

The aborted operation highlights just how close Washington and Tehran came to a direct confrontation. One moment, US forces were preparing for another round of attacks; the next, Trump was talking about a diplomatic breakthrough that could reshape the region. Whether the agreement holds — and what was promised behind closed doors — remains one of the biggest unanswered questions in the Middle East today.