Israel learned of Trump’s Iran strike halt via social media

Israeli officials were left in a "fog" of uncertainty for hours regarding a planned joint military strike against Iran, learning of Washington's decision to abort the operation only through President Donald Trump's social media posts, according to Israeli media on Sunday. Senior officers received no direct notification from US counterparts before Trump announced the cancellation on his Truth Social platform.

Trump's reversal

Trump said Saturday that he canceled the strike after Tehran and regional partners requested time to finalize a peace deal framework. "For hours, we were in real uncertainty," a senior Israeli official told Channel 12. "President Trump left us in the fog. Senior officers were updated about what was happening from Trump's social media," he added.

February offensive

The US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran in February, killing more than 3,000 people including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian figures. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks on Gulf nations hosting American military assets. Washington and Tehran signed a ceasefire in April and a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding in June, though the agreement collapsed last month amid renewed exchanges of fire.

Diplomatic track

Trump claimed on Truth Social that both sides had agreed to the "perimeters" of a potential deal that would include the "immediate, complete, and total" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat. "The feeling was, they left us behind," the Israeli official said. The US and Iran exchanged attacks last month before Trump abruptly halted the offensive amid reports of ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting agreement.