On May 18, 2026, US President Donald Trump announced he was postponing the planned military strike on Iran, which was scheduled to take place the following day. The decision followed requests from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

"There will be no attack on Iran tomorrow"" Trump wrote on his social network Truth Social.

He also emphasized that the American military remains prepared to immediately launch a large-scale offensive if negotiations fail. "This deal will include, importantly, no nuclear weapons for Iran!" the president declared.

Trump said he had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Kane and the U.S. military not to carry out the planned attack on Iran tomorrow, but also instructed them to be prepared for a "full-scale, massive assault on Iran at any time if an acceptable deal is not reached."

Media reports previously indicated that the Pentagon had prepared a list of targets for strikes in Iran, including energy facilities and infrastructure, and was also considering a ground operation to seize stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. However, analysts believe bombing alone is insufficient, and a ground operation could result in casualties among American troops, weakening support for an already unpopular war.