War ICYMI – Trump briefed on Iran strike options after pausing attack, officials say
Trump convened a national security meeting on Iran war plans Monday evening, hours after announcing a pause in strikes, with Gulf leaders' concerns over oil facility retaliation cited as a key factor in his decision to hold off.
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Summary: According to two US officials cited by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, a well-placed source for White House deliberations on Iran:
- Trump convened his senior national security team on Monday evening for a briefing that covered military options, the status of diplomatic efforts, and the broader way forward in the conflict with Iran
- Attendees included Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, White House envoy Witkoff, Defence Secretary Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine, CIA Director Ratcliffe and other senior officials
- Officials say Trump had not actually made a decision to strike Iran before announcing the pause, and his decision to hold off was partly driven by concerns from Gulf leaders about Iranian retaliation against their oil facilities and infrastructure
- Gulf leaders urged Trump to give negotiations another chance, though the latest Iranian counter-proposal was described by a senior US official as showing no significant progress
- A source close to Trump said Iran hawks who have spoken to the president got the impression he is minded to apply maximum pressure to force movement in negotiations, while many other officials admitted confusion about which direction he is heading
- Trump has set a self-imposed deadline of two to three days, possibly extending to early next week, and has not ruled out resuming strikes, saying on Tuesday he was "not sure yet" whether Iran would need "another big hit"
President Trump held a high-level meeting on Iran war planning on Monday evening, hours after announcing he was suspending strikes he claimed had been scheduled for Tuesday, according to US officials. The session brought together the administration's senior national security figures and included a detailed briefing on military options against Iran, underscoring that the pause in hostilities is being treated as a tactical hold rather than a shift in posture.
The gathering included Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, among others. Discussion centred on the path forward in the conflict, the current state of diplomatic negotiations, and the range of military options available to the president.
Officials said Trump had not in fact made a firm decision to strike Iran before announcing the pause, despite his own subsequent claim that he had been an hour away from giving the order. The decision to hold off was driven in part by representations from several Gulf leaders, who raised concerns about the risk of Iranian retaliation against oil facilities and critical infrastructure across the region. Those leaders urged the president to allow more time for negotiations to yield a result.
The diplomatic picture, however, remains difficult. A senior US official described Iran's most recent counter-proposal as falling well short of meaningful progress, and a regional source indicated that mediators are still working to persuade Tehran to adopt a more flexible stance on the core American demands around its nuclear programme. Trump has framed the remaining window as two to three days, with a possible extension to early next week, though he has made and then deferred similar deadlines before.
The mood around Trump himself was described in pointed terms by a source close to the president, who said Iran hawks in contact with him came away with the impression that he is intent on applying enough pressure to force Iranian movement at the negotiating table. At the same time, a number of US officials admitted they are genuinely uncertain which way Trump will turn if no diplomatic breakthrough materialises, with some believing he may defer a decision again rather than commit to resumed strikes.
Trump's own public language on Tuesday left the question deliberately open. He said Iran may need another significant strike but stopped short of any commitment, adding only that the answer would become clear soon.
Why yes, its an AI image. Trump has too many bone spurs to serve in the armed forces.
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The revelation that Trump was actively briefed on fresh military options against Iran on the same evening he announced a pause in strikes will do little to ease the risk premium in crude markets. The explicit concern among Gulf leaders about Iranian retaliation against regional oil infrastructure is a particularly pointed signal for energy traders, as it suggests the market's worst-case scenarios, strikes on Gulf production and export facilities, are being actively discussed at the highest levels of the US national security apparatus. The confusion among US officials about the direction of policy adds to uncertainty rather than reducing it, and Trump's own language, that Iran may need "another big hit", keeps the door to resumed hostilities firmly open. With a self-imposed deadline of a few days and mediators still trying to coax a more flexible Iranian position, the window for a diplomatic resolution that would take supply-risk off the table remains narrow.
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.提供 MainLink：Investinglive RSS Breaking News Feed
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