For several tense hours last Wednesday, Washington and capitals across the Middle East were bracing for the possibility of US bombs falling on Tehran. Senior military, political and diplomatic officials believed an American strike on Iran was imminent, but by the afternoon it became clear that the order would not come. The United States ultimately stood down, according to US officials cited by Axios.
US President Donald Trump had spent the previous week weighing military action against Iran in response to the regime’s violent crackdown on protests, in which thousands are believed to have been killed. However, a combination of operational constraints, warnings from allies, internal doubts within his administration and quiet backchannel contacts with Tehran led him to pause rather than escalate.
According to accounts from US and regional officials, Trump chaired a key meeting in the Situation Room late Tuesday night, where he received a detailed briefing on the unrest in Iran and possible American responses. Although he had been receiving regular intelligence updates from Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, this marked the first formal meeting he led that was focused squarely on the protests and potential military options.
During the briefing, military planners outlined several strike scenarios, including coordinated attacks on Iranian regime targets using US warships and submarines. Trump reviewed the plans, narrowed down the options and instructed the Pentagon to prepare. A strike package was ready after discussions with senior aides, but the meeting ended without a final directive to proceed.
By Wednesday morning, expectations within the administration and across the region hardened into a belief that Trump would approve military action. Precautionary steps were taken as US personnel began evacuating from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and from the Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. Iran, convinced an attack was imminent, issued a notice closing its airspace.
Despite these developments, the White House remained silent and no order was issued. Officials said Trump chose to continue monitoring the situation rather than act immediately, even though US forces were in a position to strike quickly. Several senior officials later described the decision as finely balanced, with the moment passing without a command being given.
Multiple factors influenced the pause. US officials said Washington lacked sufficient military assets in the region to sustain a wider confrontation with Iran, while allies privately warned against escalation. There were also concerns among Trump’s advisers about the effectiveness of the proposed strikes and the risk of triggering a broader regional conflict.
One notable voice urging restraint was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who told Trump in a call that Israel was not fully prepared for Iran’s likely retaliation. Netanyahu warned that without adequate US assets positioned nearby, Israel would struggle to intercept Iranian missiles and drones in the event of a counterattack. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also raised concerns about the potential fallout across the region.
By late Wednesday, the immediate window for action had closed and the strike plans remained on paper. Asked later about the decision not to proceed, Trump said he had reached the conclusion himself, rather than being persuaded by others.
Earlier that day, Tehran had warned Washington that any move against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would trigger an all-out war. Iranian authorities also signalled a possible return to executions as unrest continued, with claims that at least 5,000 people had died during the protests.
