President Donald Trump's attack on Iran's nuclear sites caught the world - including its target - by surprise.
However the strikes were carried out as a part of a bold plan to wrongfoot Iran, according to new reports.
Trump was leaning towards pulling the trigger for several days when he told the press on Thursday that he was giving Iran a two-week deadline before he made a decision, CNN reported.
He believed issuing the ultimatum would 'throw off the Iranians and conceal his plans', sources reportedly said.
The statement was used to lull Iran into a false sense of security even though Trump had all but made up his mind to strike.
