President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he halted planned U.S. airstrikes against Iran as negotiations for a peace deal continued [1, 2, 3].
The decision prevents an immediate escalation of military conflict in a volatile region where Iranian missile and drone activity has already threatened international shipping lanes and neighboring states.
Trump said he was "an hour away from striking Iran" before the operation was stopped [1]. The president said that he scrapped the planned attack at the request of Gulf allies [1]. He said that he delayed strikes planned for Tuesday following progress on a possible deal to end the war [2].
These tensions followed a period of heightened activity in the region. Reports indicate that initial strikes were reported as early as May 8, 2026 [3]. Iranian forces have been involved in missile and drone activity near the Strait of Hormuz, and the United Arab Emirates [2, 3]. Additional activity was also reported in southern Lebanon [3].
The U.S. move to consider airstrikes was a response to these escalating regional tensions [1, 2, 3]. While some reports describe the operation as being scrapped entirely, others suggest the strikes were merely delayed to allow diplomacy to take precedence [1, 2].
Despite the near-execution of military strikes, no formal war has been declared between the two nations [1, 2, 3]. The administration continues to balance the threat of Iranian aggression with the goal of securing a diplomatic resolution through ongoing negotiations [1, 2].
“"I was an hour away from striking Iran."”
The postponement of these strikes indicates a strategic preference for diplomacy over direct military confrontation, despite high regional volatility. By citing the influence of Gulf allies, the U.S. administration acknowledges the necessity of regional coalition support before engaging in major kinetic operations. This suggests that while the U.S. maintains a posture of military readiness, the current priority is a negotiated settlement to stabilize the Strait of Hormuz and the UAE.
