‘We were left in the dark’: How Israeli leaders learned about Trump’s surprise Iran decision on social media
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (File Photo)Israeli defence and diplomatic officials say they were left without information for hours about a planned joint attack with the US on Iran, before US President Donald Trump called it off, Channel 12 reported.
‘We were in real uncertainty’
A senior Israeli official said, “for hours, we were in real uncertainty.” According to the official, Trump gave Israel no clear updates, and senior officers only learned what was happening through his posts on social media. The official added that this left Israel feeling sidelined once Trump announced he was cancelling the attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, and other senior officials reportedly also found out about the decision through Trump’s post on Truth Social, rather than through direct communication. Israel initially suspected this might be a tactic to make Iran lower its guard, but military and diplomatic officials later confirmed through their American counterparts that Trump had genuinely changed course.
What did Trump actually say?
In his post, Trump said Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked for time to reach a deal that would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end what he called Iran’s nuclear threat.
“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that… pic.twitter.com/Ylmlm06j3E
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 2, 2026
He said he had agreed to hold off on the attack while a deal was worked out quickly, and said Israel had joined him in this commitment, a claim Israeli officials have not confirmed themselves.
What has Iran said?
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned against any “adventurous action” by the US in separate calls with Turkish and Pakistani officials, saying Iran would respond decisively to aggression.
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He later told Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister that any attack by the US, Israel, or other regional countries would be met with a proportionate response.
Why does the uncertainty matter operationally?
Israeli officials said the sudden shift in plans creates practical problems beyond frustration. Lowering an alert level after mobilising forces takes time to reverse, one official said, adding that committing resources to a single front only to stand down without warning raises doubts about the president’s long-term plan.
Despite the confusion, Israel is reportedly keeping its forces on high alert, given the possibility that Trump could change his position again without notice.
