In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan on social media on May 10. He claimed his intervention prevented a nuclear war. On May 12, responding to a reporter’s question at the White House, Trump said, “The U.S. didn’t just ‘broker’ the ceasefire between India and Pakistan— we stopped a ‘nuclear conflict.’”

Was there a nuclear threat during Operation Sindoor that Washington knew about, prompting Trump’s dramatic statement? From May 7 to 10, rumors of radiation leaks sparked serious concern. The buzz was that India had struck Kirana Hills near Rawalpindi, where Pakistan reportedly stored nuclear materials underground. Amid the flood of reports, some claimed Indian strikes caused a radiation leak, detected by a specialized U.S. reconnaissance plane.

Social media and certain Indian outlets went wild, hailing it as India’s ultimate triumph — a bold yet restrained and just response to Pakistan’s nuclear bluff, damaging its strategic assets. But to quell rising fears and provide a clearer, grounded assessment, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the global nuclear watchdog, stepped in. On May 15, it confirmed that “no radiation leak or release occurred at any nuclear facility in Pakistan.”

So, what led to Trump’s claim of averting a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan?