President Donald Trump abruptly paused planned strikes on Iranian power plants after Gulf allies warned of severe retaliation risks to their own infrastructure. The decision followed Iran’s refusal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, causing oil prices to spike and markets to tumble. The pause has also drawn attention to unusual market activity ahead of Trump’s announcement, prompting questions over potential insider trading and the direction of US-Iran diplomacy.
Regional sources told Reuters that Gulf Arab leaders directly warned President Trump that US strikes on Iran’s power plants could trigger retaliatory attacks on their own energy and desalination facilities. Trump had threatened to hit Iran’s electricity grid unless Tehran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran refused, keeping the waterway closed and causing oil prices to spike. Analysts said the warnings and Iran’s resolve forced Trump to step back from escalation that risked spiraling beyond his control.
