Officials say that US President Donald Trump ordered the US military to conduct military strikes against Iranian military targets but later changed his mind “while warplanes were in the air”.

The strikes would have been in retaliation for downing an American surveillance drone the day prior.

President Trump reportedly changed his mind hours later and ordered an immediate stop to the operation while American aircraft were in the air and warships were in position.

Media outlets such as the New York Times and ABC News reported that Trump had ordered a military strike on Iran on the 20th of June, but withdrew his decision while the strike was being planned. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton reportedly objected to the reversal.

Shortly before, Trump had tweeted that “Iran made a very big mistake” after a top Iranian commander warned Iran was “ready for war.”

Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, offered a strongly worded threat to the U.S. after the drone was downed.

“Shooting down the American spy drone had a clear, decisive, firm and accurate message,” he said, translated from Farsiby CSLL.

“The message is that the guardians of the borders of Islamic Iran will decisively respond to the violation of any stranger to this land. The only solution for the enemies is to respect the territorial integrity and national interests of Iran.”