US Halts Iran Bombing as Trump Seeks Diplomatic Solution

The United States military has ceased nearly 14 consecutive days of airstrikes on Iran, a move reportedly driven by President Donald Trump's pursuit of a diplomatic resolution to escalating tensions. Trump instructed the U.S. armed forces to halt new attacks, aiming to "give more space for diplomacy," according to Axios, which cited two anonymous sources close to the decision.

An Israeli official told the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) that the Israeli government had been preparing for a "powerful U.S. bombardment" the previous night, but Trump postponed it to offer Iran "another chance to return to the negotiating table." These reports align with a statement from Iran's Health Minister, Hossein Kermanpour, who noted on social media that "fortunately, no attack was registered last night." He added, "It seems our dear Iran had a quiet night last night, and no part of its body was hit or struck."

The news emerges after two weeks of intensified conflict between the U.S. and Iran. This escalation followed Trump's termination of a memorandum of understanding signed in June to pause aggressions that began on February 28. Trump met with his top advisors at the White House on Friday, reportedly weighing a "massive attack" against Iran while also indicating that diplomatic talks with the Islamic Republic were ongoing. The president mentioned that his envoys were in discussions with Iran six times during a 38-minute White House appearance, suggesting a renewed diplomatic effort, according to The Washington Post.

The recent exchanges have raised the number of U.S. military fatalities to 18 since the conflict began on February 28. Oil prices briefly touched $100 per barrel during the week, their highest level since May. In a further sign of potential de-escalation, Qatar announced it would resume all maritime navigation activities for all vessel types starting Sunday, following a more than 10-day suspension due to the Iran-U.S. escalation in the region. However, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Mohamad Baqer Zolqadr, warned that attacks against U.S. interests would continue "until the enemy's total surrender."