Trump halts Iran strikes as regional tensions continue to escalate globally

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to stop launching new strikes on Iran according to a report by Axios on July 26.

The move ended nearly two weeks of daily U.S. attacks and appeared aimed at giving diplomacy more time while officials reviewed the military campaign.

Trump believes the recent strikes have reached their immediate military goals. However, the U.S. military is continuing to prepare contingency plans in case the conflict escalates again. The White House has not publicly commented on the report.

The pause in U.S. strikes comes as tensions across the Middle East remain high. Iran has continued to respond strongly to recent military developments and has accused several countries of taking actions against its interests.

Trump ordered military not to conduct strikes in Iran Friday https://t.co/M8RByi5E82

— Axios (@axios) July 25, 2026

On Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea. Iranian officials said the explosion killed one sailor and injured another. Tehran called the incident an act of aggression and accused Ukraine of expanding the Russia, Ukraine war beyond its current battlefield.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces struck a Russian warship and other vessels used to transport Iran linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea. Ukrainian officials have not released additional details about the operation.

Meanwhile, Kuwait rejected reports claiming it participated in recent U.S. military attacks on Iran. The denial came after alleged that Kuwait and Bahrain sent fighter jets to strike targets inside Iran following Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. military assets in the Gulf.

Ambassador Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah sent a letter to the newspaper rejecting the claims. She described the report as “utterly and completely baseless.”

Kuwait also said it did not take part in military operations against Iran and did not allow its territory, airspace or territorial waters to be used for offensive attacks. Iran has said its missile and drone attacks targeted U.S. military assets in response to earlier American strikes on Iranian cities.

The latest developments highlight the fragile security situation in the region. While Trump’s decision to pause new strikes may create space for diplomacy, military preparations continue and political tensions remain high. Regional governments are also working to clarify their positions as international attention stays focused on the evolving conflict between the United States and Iran.