Trump Halts Iran Strikes Pending Hormuz, Nuclear Deal
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- Trump said on Saturday August 1, 2026 that the US and Israel agreed to hold off on new Iran strikes, conditional on quickly reaching a deal to end the months-long conflict.
- Earlier the same day, Trump had threatened to hit Iran "very hard" and was considering renewed attacks on energy infrastructure; CBS News reported planned joint US-Israel strikes on oil refineries and power plants through the weekend.
- On Truth Social, Trump said Iran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to hold off, describing the US as "locked and loaded... at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II."
- Any deal must include the "Immediate, Complete and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and an end to Iran's nuclear threat, with Trump stating that Israel joins him in the commitment.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman called Trump on Saturday to urge de-escalation and refrain from launching strikes, per Axios citing unnamed US officials.
- The Iran conflict began February 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, is now over five months old, and has seen a resumption of tit-for-tat attacks in recent weeks.
Why it matters: This is a dramatic single-day reversal from "locked and loaded" rhetoric to a diplomatic pause, and the deal's specific demands — Strait of Hormuz reopening and an end to Iran's nuclear program — set concrete benchmarks that will determine whether five months of war de-escalates or resumes with strikes on oil refineries and power plants.
