The United States paused airstrikes on Iran for a third consecutive night on Sunday as President Donald Trump weighs a shift toward diplomacy after nearly two weeks of intensive bombing. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told CBS News that Trump was “giving diplomacy some space” and “time” to allow negotiations to progress, while warning that “additional military assets are moving into the region” and that all options remain on the table.
The pause followed 13 consecutive nights of U.S. strikes targeting Iranian military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping chokepoint. The military campaign, which U.S. Central Command said aimed to “degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping,” marked an escalation that had threatened to widen the conflict across the Middle East.
The recommendation to halt the bombing came from Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, who advised Trump that the strike campaign had reached the limits of its military effectiveness. According to reporting from Axios, Cooper told Pentagon leadership and the White House that two weeks of strikes had significantly degraded Iran’s ability to attack ships, and that the designated bombing targets had been largely exhausted. Cooper noted that absent a decision to resume major combat operations to strike the remaining 20 percent of designated targets, there was no strategic value in continuing the previous tempo of attacks.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine also cautioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump about constraints on air defense interceptors that could hamper the ability to protect U.S. forces and regional allies, according to reporting by the New York Times and Axios. Trump’s decision to pause came after a Friday meeting with top military and civilian advisers who presented him with a new strike plan, sources said.
Iran Signals Reciprocal Pause as Talks Resume
The pause is not unilateral. On Sunday, a spokesperson for the Iranian army announced that Tehran had halted “retaliatory operations” in the region, matching the U.S. commitment. Both sides’ willingness to step back from active combat creates space for the diplomatic track that has been running parallel to the military campaign since early 2026.
The central issue in talks between Washington and Tehran is the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-third of the world’s seaborne oil passes. In June 2026, the two sides agreed to a memorandum of understanding under which Iran was required to reopen the waterway and reaffirm that it would not procure or develop nuclear weapons, while the United States agreed to remove its naval blockade and drop sanctions. The agreement gave the parties 60 days to finalize a broader deal.
However, Iranian attacks on shipping prompted fresh U.S. strikes and a renewal of the naval blockade, threatening the June accord. U.S. Central Command reported that as of Saturday, its forces had redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled two that did not comply, and boarded two others to ensure compliance. In response, Iran has launched strikes on American military bases across the Middle East, targeting facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
The pause suggests both sides recognize the military campaign has reached a plateau. Waltz indicated that while Trump is “keeping all options on the table,” the administration is willing to test whether sustained diplomatic engagement can achieve what weeks of bombing has not: a stable arrangement that protects shipping and reduces the risk of further escalation. Talks between U.S. and Iranian negotiators are ongoing at multiple levels, according to Waltz, and the United States and United Kingdom are discussing an international conference later this week to establish a coalition to protect and clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources
- Axios — Admiral Brad Cooper’s recommendation to halt bombing; military advisers’ assessment of campaign effectiveness; General Caine’s warning on air defense interceptors
- Euronews — Third night of pause; 13 consecutive prior strikes; Iran’s announcement of halted retaliatory operations; memorandum of understanding details; U.S. naval blockade enforcement; Iranian strikes on U.S. bases
- CBS News — Mike Waltz statement on giving diplomacy space and time; ongoing negotiations at multiple levels
- The New York Times — General Caine’s warning on air defense interceptor constraints
- Al Jazeera — Confirmation of U.S. pause aimed at giving diplomacy space
- Reuters — Details on prior 13-night strike campaign; U.S. demands for Strait of Hormuz access
