Trump: 'Massive Attack' on Iran Called Off at Last Minute for Hormuz Deal

President Trump revealed aboard Air Force One that the United States was mere moments away from launching what he described as a massive military strike on Iran before pulling back at the eleventh hour. According to the president, the U.S. military was fully mobilized and ready to act when leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and even Iran itself personally intervened, urging him to hold off. Trump said the request came because all parties believe a deal is now within reach — one covering the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, followed by a broader agreement on ending Iran's nuclear ambitions for good.

The president's remarks followed an earlier, dramatic Truth Social post in which he declared the United States "locked and loaded" and prepared to carry out what he called unprecedented military action against Iran. Trump wrote that he agreed to stand down only on the condition that a deal be finalized swiftly, one that would fully reopen Hormuz to global shipping and permanently neutralize Iran's nuclear threat. Notably, the president emphasized that Israel had signed off on the decision to pause, underscoring the delicate coordination between Washington and Jerusalem as the region teetered on the edge of a far larger conflict.

Trump's characteristically blunt assessment — "we're holding it, we'll just see" — captures the high-wire nature of the moment, with the credibility of American military resolve now riding on whether Tehran and its neighbors can deliver a real, lasting agreement. The stakes could hardly be higher: a botched negotiation could reignite the very strike that regional powers just begged Trump to call off, while a successful deal could mark one of the most consequential diplomatic turnarounds of his presidency. For now, the world watches and waits to see whether restraint pays off or whether the U.S. military option remains firmly back on the table.