Israeli media have reported that US President Donald Trump has not ordered the launch of a large-scale military operation against Iran, despite Israel’s expectations that the attack would take place on Friday night or Saturday.
According to a report by the Israeli news outlet Ynet, Tel Aviv had made extensive military preparations for a potential US strike. However, officials later concluded that Trump has refrained from attacking for now, granting Tehran another opportunity for diplomacy.
The report adds that Qatar and Oman have been pressuring Iran behind the scenes to soften its stance and prevent a potential large-scale US operation.
Meanwhile, for the first time in two weeks, the US launched no new strikes against Iran on Friday evening a move seen as a sign of easing tensions and a resurgence of diplomacy following 13 days of conflict.
At the same time, the US military opened fire on a commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman that was reportedly attempting to break the blockade of Iranian ports.
On the other hand, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that over the past 24 hours, its naval forces intercepted four vessels attempting to pass through an "illegal and unsafe" route in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz after firing upon them.
According to reports, amidst the recent escalation in military tensions, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped significantly, with only three ships passing through daily.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
