For the second night in a row, the U.S. did not launch any strikes on Iran. Axios reported earlier yesterday that President Trump “directed the U.S. military not to conduct new strikes in Iran on Friday,” breaking the 13-day streak. “Trump’s decision reflects both his willingness to provide more space for diplomacy and a recognition that—short of a return to major combat operations—the current level of U.S. strikes has reached the limit of its effectiveness,” Axios continues. “If Trump orders a return to strikes, the U.S. military can mobilize on relatively short notice. The U.S. military is still preparing plans for a possible return to major combat operations, but Trump hasn’t given orders to move in that direction, the sources said.”
Shortly after he gave the Friday directive, Trump told reporters at the White House that he has the option of continuing strikes or even escalating them, including “knocking out everything they have.” But he made clear that he thinks the “smarter strategy” is to “make a deal” with Iran. “We’re talking to [the Iranians] right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious as the days go by. We’re locked and loaded and ready to go, but we’re talking to them,” Trump said.
