Israel initially suspected this might be a tactic to make Iran lower its guard, but military and diplomatic officials later confirmed through their American counterparts that Trump had genuinely changed course.3 min readAug 3, 2026 05:02 AM IST First published on: Aug 3, 2026 at 04:39 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (File Photo)Israeli defence and diplomatic officials say they were left without information for hours about a planned joint attack with the US on Iran, before US President Donald Trump called it off, Channel 12 reported.‘We were in real uncertainty’A senior Israeli official said, “for hours, we were in real uncertainty.” According to the official, Trump gave Israel no clear updates, and senior officers only learned what was happening through his posts on social media. The official added that this left Israel feeling sidelined once Trump announced he was cancelling the attack.Also read Iran-US war: 10 points on Trump’s deal, Saudi concerns and Iran’s warningPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, and other senior officials reportedly also found out about the decision through Trump’s post on Truth Social, rather than through direct communication. Israel initially suspected this might be a tactic to make Iran lower its guard, but military and diplomatic officials later confirmed through their American counterparts that Trump had genuinely changed course.What did Trump actually say?In his post, Trump said Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked for time to reach a deal that would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end what he called Iran’s nuclear threat.“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that… pic.twitter.com/Ylmlm06j3E— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 2, 2026He said he had agreed to hold off on the attack while a deal was worked out quickly, and said Israel had joined him in this commitment, a claim Israeli officials have not confirmed themselves.What has Iran said?Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned against any “adventurous action” by the US in separate calls with Turkish and Pakistani officials, saying Iran would respond decisively to aggression.Story continues below this adAlso read Inside Saudi Crown Prince MBS’ phone call with Trump before Iran strike pauseHe later told Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister that any attack by the US, Israel, or other regional countries would be met with a proportionate response.Most Read1US makes visa bond rule permanent, raises cap to $20,000; Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan affected2Trump calls off fresh attacks on Iran, says peace deal agreed with Tehran3Iran-US war: 10 points on Trump’s deal, Saudi concerns and Iran’s warning4Suicide attack in Pakistan kills 14 during peace rally5Why 48,000 migrants returned to Morocco after crossing into Spain’s Ceuta6At least 3 dead and 7 injured in shooting in Idaho; suspect deadSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with US President Donald Trump. (File Photo)Why does the uncertainty matter operationally?Israeli officials said the sudden shift in plans creates practical problems beyond frustration. Lowering an alert level after mobilising forces takes time to reverse, one official said, adding that committing resources to a single front only to stand down without warning raises doubts about the president’s long-term plan.Despite the confusion, Israel is reportedly keeping its forces on high alert, given the possibility that Trump could change his position again without notice.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Advertisement