US-Iran Strikes Halted Amid Diplomatic Efforts and Resource Worries

The United States has put its military strikes against Iran on hold for the second consecutive night, marking a sudden lull in the nearly two-week bombing campaign that sent oil prices soaring and raised fears of a wider regional war.

The halt in hostilities began late Friday without any formal announcement from Washington, coinciding with Tehran signaling it was also holding off on retaliatory attacks and engaging in fresh diplomatic talks with Oman over the crisis at the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking on state television, Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia confirmed the shift. 'The US may have devised other scenarios for the coming days, but the current situation is not what they desire,' he said.

The pause in hostilities has raised questions about President Donald Trump's next move after striking Iran for 13 straight days. The administration appears to be recalibrating its strategy, partly due to concerns that a prolonged conflict could drain already-diminished stockpiles of Patriot anti-missile interceptors and other critical air defense weapons in the region.