Iran has passed another night without US airstrikes as Washington pauses a conflict approaching its fifth month, with reports suggesting concerns over dwindling military supplies may be limiting plans for further escalation.
The pause has revived hopes of renewed negotiations after nearly two weeks of consecutive overnight US bombardments. However, US media reports said Washington was also facing pressure on its stocks of Patriot interceptors and other defensive weapons.
The conflict initially centred on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but fighting has since spread to US military bases and commercial shipping across the region. Iran’s army warned on Sunday that the war could expand further if Washington resumes major air operations.
The warning came ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned visit to Washington on Tuesday.
“If the Americans once again fall for the Zionists’ deception or move in line with them and insist on continuing the war, particularly through air strikes, geographically this will expand further,” army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia told Iranian state television.
US military operations against Iran were “on a hold”, CNN reported, citing an unidentified Pentagon source. The report came after President Donald Trump warned on Friday that Iran could face a “much higher level” of strikes if negotiations failed.
The New York Times reported that plans to intensify the campaign had been delayed partly because of concerns over shrinking weapons supplies. The newspaper also reported that Trump faced the risk of a broader regional conflict and further damage to the global economy.
CNN said Vice President JD Vance and General Dan Caine had raised concerns about escalation during a White House meeting on Friday. Caine reportedly told Trump that the military could successfully carry out the available options but warned about their potential consequences.
Trump said on Friday that he had not decided whether to resume a full-scale military operation.
“We’re talking to them right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious,” he told reporters.
The war, which Trump once predicted would last four or five weeks, is now nearing its fifth month. The conflict has also become a political issue in the United States ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The Pentagon had presented Trump with plans for a 14th night of strikes, but he declined to approve the operation in favour of pursuing talks, Axios reported.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the main point of confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Iranian armed forces stopped six vessels attempting to pass through the waterway during the previous 24 hours after issuing warnings, Iranian state television reported.
Iran said it had made progress in talks with neighbouring Oman on “common principles and operational mechanisms” for shipping through the strait.
The developments have left the region in a fragile pause, with diplomatic efforts continuing while both sides warn that further military action could trigger a wider conflict.
