U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called for a five-day pause on airstrikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, citing "very good and productive conversations" related to ending the war in the Middle East.
"BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WITCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
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Over the weekend, President Trump had threatened to "obliterate" Iranian power plants if the country refused to open the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean.
The narrow waterway is a vital trade route, with nearly one-fifth of the world's oil supply passing through it. Since the start of the Iran war, global oil prices have skyrocketed as fighting in the region has disrupted shipments.
Meanwhile, despite Trump's calls for winding down the war, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Saturday that attacks against Iran will "increase significantly" this week. The announcement came as the U.S. said it was sending more warships and soldiers to the region.
To date, 13 U.S. service members have died since the war began while the death toll has risen to more than 1,300 in Iran. Over 1,000 people in Lebanon and at least 15 Israelis have also died in the regional conflict.
