Israel surprised by Trump’s announcement cancelling Iran strikes, says Hebrew media

Israeli media reported on Thursday evening that Israel was surprised by US President Donald Trump’s announcement that planned strikes on Iran had been cancelled, as well as his suggestion that a regional agreement was close, while Israeli sources denied having knowledge of any such deal.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he had cancelled attacks that were planned against Iran for later that night. He claimed that the proposed understandings had received approval from several parties, including Israel, and said the time and place for the formal signing would be announced later.

Trump said: “Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.”        

Israeli Channel 12 quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that the information available to Israel indicated that “no agreement has been reached”. The comments came shortly after Trump announced that talks with Iran had reached an advanced stage and that the attacks planned for Thursday evening had been cancelled.