Trump Between War and De-escalation... Warns Iran and Houthis

- The conflict in the region... between Trump, Putin, and Xi on Thursday

- Israeli Broadcasting Authority: Estimates suggest war will not break out in the coming weeks

Washington, Tehran – Reuters, AFP – As the US-Iranian crisis remains at a standstill, with no signs pointing to a near-term thaw between the two sides, three informed sources said US President Donald Trump informed his top advisors that he may refrain from attacking Iran if the United States faces no new provocations from Tehran or its allied Houthis in Yemen.

As the Pentagon moves a third aircraft carrier to the region, Trump’s stance has fluctuated between threats of escalating the war with new strikes and calls to de-escalate hostilities. Current and former officials say he has not yet made up his mind on how to end the war he launched last February 28 alongside Israel.

However, in meetings with national security advisors and following a series of intelligence briefings, Reuters reported that the US president said he is considering refraining from launching strikes.

The US president expressed sympathy for regional allies who asked him not to return to a full-scale war.

Trump told sports broadcaster Steve A. Smith on Thursday, “I could end this immediately, but at the request of countries, we are doing it a bit more slowly and in a more civilized manner.”

Trump also plans to discuss the Iran war with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during trilateral talks to be held on Thursday in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit.

For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a speech before the Federalists Association that there is no need to launch further military operations against Iran, as the economic suffering inflicted by the United States has severely exhausted it.

He added that “victory lies in ensuring that Iran never possesses a nuclear weapon,” while acknowledging the economic hardship Americans are experiencing due to the war, which has raised fuel prices and affected nearly all sectors of the global economy.

Meanwhile, three other sources familiar with US planning told Reuters that the military is simultaneously prepared to escalate if necessary.

They added that a third aircraft carrier will head to the Middle East in the coming days to replace one of the two carriers already operating in the region, but all three carriers could remain if needed.

In the context of diplomatic and security movements, Mossad head Romen Gofman is holding talks in Washington with high-ranking officials in the Trump administration regarding the war, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, with an expected meeting with White House envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami.

It was also hinted that Gofman will push for the execution of a military operation, as the Israeli military supports an attack in coordination with the United States, but not under a transitional government.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that estimates suggest war will not break out in the coming weeks, noting that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir supports a military operation, “but at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner.”

Regarding the nuclear file, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed “growing concern” over a uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan, which Iran announced last year but has not allowed inspectors to enter, confirming that it does not know its exact location or whether it contains nuclear materials.

The agency’s report warned that it cannot verify the status of uranium stockpiles or rule out the diversion of declared nuclear materials for military purposes, calling on Tehran to resume inspections without delay.