The United States has suspended a two-week bombing campaign targeting Iranian forces after military commanders advised President Donald Trump that operations had depleted available targets and air defense munitions in the region, according to a U.S. official and widespread media reports. The cessation of airstrikes, which concluded over the weekend following 13 successive nights of conflict, prompted an immediate drop in global crude prices as markets reacted to the de-escalation.
Military Advisors Cite Depleted Targets and Air Defense Stocks
According to a U.S. official speaking to Reuters, military commanders informed the White House that the campaign—launched to break Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz—had reached the practical limits of what air power could achieve. The official stated that the armed forces were rapidly running out of viable targets. Furthermore, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, raised specific concerns regarding the depletion of air defense weapons used to protect American military installations stationed across neighboring Arab states.
Similar assessments detailing the advice from civilian and military aides were published over the weekend by outlets including the New York Times, CNN, and Axios. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz stated on Sunday, according to Reuters, that the administration paused the military operations specifically to create space for potential diplomatic negotiations.
Iranian Rejection of Peace Talks and Transit Control
Despite the halt in U.S. airstrikes, Iranian officials rejected assertions that peace talks would resume immediately. During a televised press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran had not asked to restart negotiations with Washington. Iran also indicated that it would pause its own retaliatory attacks only for as long as the American bombing suspension remains in place.
Demonstrating that its operational posture in the Strait of Hormuz remains unchanged, Iranian state media reported that local maritime forces turned away six offending vessels on Monday morning after the ships attempted to cross the vital waterway without official permission. Iranian state broadcasts quoted an informed source stating that traffic routes specified by Iran are the only functional paths through the strait, labeling alternative routes contaminated and have no way out.
The renewed U.S. bombing campaign, initiated to penalize Iran after forces fired on ships using a route through the strait that has been promoted by the United States, which has told vessels to sail close to the coast of Oman, resulted in widespread destruction. According to verified reports, the two-week engagement killed scores of people in Iran, destroyed bridges and tunnels across the southern territory, and damaged military targets. In return, Iranian fire killed four U.S. service members stationed at regional bases and struck civilian infrastructure across Gulf nations.
Oil Market Response and Diplomatic Maneuvers
The suspension of hostilities triggered a sharp downward correction in global energy markets. Brent crude, which surged past AU$150 a barrel the previous week for the first time since May, dropped approximately 7.8 percent by mid-morning on Monday to trade just below AU$130 a barrel, reflecting market relief over potential supply stabilization.
Diplomatic channels remain active despite the impasse over transit rights through the strait. Iran aims to formalise its control over the strait by reaching an agreement with Oman, which controls the opposite shore; a senior Omani delegation was in Tehran over the weekend to discuss the future of the waterway. State media in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia reported that the foreign ministers of those nations held separate phone calls with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Monday to address regional security.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump in Washington early this week. Netanyahu initially launched the war alongside the U.S. in February but has not participated in the subsequent U.S.-Iranian diplomatic tracks aimed at concluding the conflict.