- US President Donald Trump directed the military to pause its strikes on Iran following nearly two weeks of consecutive attacks
- The New York Times reported that concerns about depleting key American air defence munitions in the Middle East shaped the decision
- Axios cited sources saying the US military was drawing up plans for a possible return to major combat operations
US President Donald Trump has ordered the American military to stop strikes on Iran, according to reports from The New York Times and Axios published on Saturday, following 13 consecutive days of attacks.
The New York Times, drawing on accounts from Trump administration officials, said the president reached the decision partly out of concern that continuing the campaign could critically deplete the Pentagon’s existing stock of Patriot antimissile interceptors and other air defence munitions stationed in the Middle East.
Source: Getty Images
The report said Trump made the call after a Friday meeting with senior advisers and cabinet members.
Why Trump called a pause
Axios, citing two anonymous sources familiar with the decision, said it remained unclear whether the halt was temporary or signalled a longer break in military action.
According to those sources, the move reflected Trump’s readiness to create more room for diplomatic efforts, alongside a recognition that the current scale of US strikes had reached the boundaries of what it could achieve without escalating to full-scale combat.
The sources also told Axios that the US military was already developing contingency plans for a possible return to major combat operations against Iran.
The reports did not indicate whether any direct communication with Iranian officials was under way or whether the pause was tied to a specific diplomatic framework.
Stockpile concerns drive decision
The detail about dwindling air defence munitions is significant. The New York Times’ sourcing pointed to Pentagon anxiety that prolonged operations in the Middle East were straining resources that would be difficult to rapidly replace.
The Patriot antimissile system is among the most critical components of American and allied air defence architecture in the region.
It has not been confirmed whether the White House will make a formal announcement regarding the pause or its conditions.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s ambassador to the US had denied a Wall Street Journal report that claimed the Gulf state had sent fighter jets to attack Iran.
Ambassador Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah wrote to the paper’s editorial board to deny the report, and called it “utterly and completely baseless”, according to the official Kuwait News Agency.
“She affirmed that Kuwait has not participated in any military operations against Iran and has not allowed the use of its territory, airspace, or territorial waters to launch offensive operations,” it said.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kuwait and Bahrain sent fighters to attack sites inside Iran after Tehran launched missile and drone attacks on what it called US military assets in the Gulf countries. Iran said the attacks were in retaliation for the US’s strikes on its cities.
Source: Getty Images
US strikes Iran for 13th consecutive night
Legit.ng earlier reported that the US military has carried out strikes on Iran for the thirteenth night running, with Iranian state media reporting four deaths and five injuries from the latest round of attacks.
Iranian media said explosions were heard at key military and commercial locations in the south of the country, including the port city of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
Source: Legit.ng
