Trump Halts Iran Strikes Pending Deal Parameters

Trump told reporters Friday he will hit Iran 'very hard' until Tehran comes to the negotiating table. The Wall Street Journal reported he has ordered strikes to begin as soon as this weekend.

• Strikes are expected to last several days and target Iran's energy infrastructure.
• 10 countries in the region received new U.S. State Department security alerts Saturday.
• Kuwait intercepted Iranian drones that struck a government facility in the country's north.
• Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for striking two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Why it matters: The conflict began February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. A ceasefire in April collapsed in early July after Iran fired on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran signed a truce memorandum last month, then 'broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers.'
• Dana Stroul, a research director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said recent U.S. attacks represent 'an expansion in the scope of the targets.'

How 61 sources split on this story

Where they split: The central dispute is whether Israel will join the strikes — CNN reported no indication of Israeli participation as of Saturday, while CBS reported the two countries were jointly planning an imminent campaign.

What’s next: Israel has not confirmed participation; Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the U.S. is 'not approving it at the moment.'

• Pakistan, acting as mediator, insisted negotiations remained ongoing after the last U.S. strike.
• Will Israel participate directly in the new strikes?
• Can mediator Pakistan restart negotiations before the strikes begin?
• How will Gulf states respond if Iran expands drone and missile attacks on their territory?