US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he nearly ordered fresh strikes on Iran. He said he was just “an hour away” from approving the operation before he paused it. He added that US Gulf allies asked him to hold off. Reports said US naval warships had already armed and prepared for the mission.

Trump spoke to reporters at the White House. He said he still wants to avoid war. However, he warned that the US may strike again if needed. He said, “the US may have to give them another big hit.”

Trump also said he will wait a few days before taking a final call. He said, “Well, I mean, I’m saying two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday; something maybe early next week — a limited period of time,”.

White House reviews military options

Trump held a long security meeting on Monday evening. Axios reported that he met senior officials to discuss Iran and military options. The meeting lasted several hours. Trump paused the strike plan after the discussion. Officials said he did not cancel the plan fully. They said the US military stayed ready for action.

Trump said he still prefers a deal. But he asked the military to stay prepared for full strikes if talks fail. He also said he had been “an hour away” from giving the final order.

Top officials join meeting

Several senior US officials joined the briefing. These included JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Steve Witkoff, John Ratcliffe, and General Daniel Caine. They discussed Iran’s situation. They also reviewed peace talks and military plans.

Allies push for talks

Trump said Gulf allies influenced his decision. He said Saudi Arabia and the UAE urged restraint. They told him that “serious talks” were happening. He said they believed a deal could be reached.

Reports said mediators now push Iran to show flexibility. They want Iran to address US nuclear demands.

Vance says talks are improving

Vice President JD Vance said negotiations have progressed. He said “a lot of progress” has been made. He described the situation as “pretty good”.

Vance said Trump wants peace. But he confirmed the US keeps military options ready. He said, “We don’t want to go down that pathway, but we will if we are pushed to.”