🛑 BREAKING: Trump Pauses Strikes on Iran's Power Plants👇

The US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, with Operation Epic Fury targeting Iranian military capabilities and top government leaders. Since then, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly 20% of global oil and gas passes — has virtually ground to a halt, as Iran has been targeting ships trying to pass through.

⚡ The Ultimatum

Over the weekend, Trump threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants within 48 hours if Iran didn't let ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with its own threats — the IRGC threatened to strike electrical plants powering US bases in the Middle East, and Iran's Defense Council warned that any attack on Iran's coasts would lead to the mining of all access routes in the Persian Gulf.

🕊️ The Pause

On Monday, Trump announced he was postponing airstrikes on Iran's power plants for five days after what he called "very good and productive conversations" over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump told CNBC he is "very intent on making a deal with Iran," and said his son-in-law Jared Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with a senior Iranian official the previous evening.

🇮🇷 Iran's Response

Iran initially denied any talks, but a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official later told CBS News that "we received points from the U.S. through mediators and they are being reviewed." Iranian state media, however, called Trump's move "part of efforts to reduce energy prices and buy time to implement his military plans."

📈 Market Reaction

Major stock indices rallied — the S&P 500 jumped 1.15%, and both the Dow Jones and NASDAQ jumped 1.38% — while crude oil prices tumbled on the news.

🔮 What's Next?

Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey are acting as mediators, passing messages between the US and Iran, and attempting to set up a direct call between Iran's top official Ghalibaf and Trump's team — which could determine whether an in-person meeting takes place. Trump warned: "If this works, we'll settle this. Otherwise, we'll just keep bombing."

💀 War Toll So Far

The death toll from the war includes approximately 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel, and 13 US service members.

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Bottom line: A fragile 5-day diplomatic window has opened. The world is watching whether it leads to a deal — or a major escalation.