Update about the leak at the end
Axios and The New York Times reported similarly on the sudden pause in the Iran bombing campaign. It was allegedly on the advice of military commanders and partly due to concerns that it could leave the U.S. with a significant depletion of interceptors. This could be true, and it is plausible. It’s probably another unauthorized leak that won’t help negotiations with Iran. President Trump’s reasoning is at the end.
Axios Report
According to Axios, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended stopping the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness, according to two sources with knowledge of his position.
The recommendation by Cooper, the commander of the U.S. Military Central Command (CENTCOM), together with other advisers, impacted President Trump’s decision on Friday to pause U.S. strikes against Iran, the sources said. It was an acknowledgment by both military and civilian advisers to the president that there are limits to what can be accomplished through military action, and specifically an air power campaign.
That leaves us with troops on the ground.
New York Times
The New York Times reports that President Trump has set aside, at least for now, plans to sharply escalate the American military assault against Iran, with particular concern that intensifying the war could dangerously drain the Pentagon’s already diminished stockpile of Patriot antimissile interceptors and other air defense munitions in the Middle East.
The threat to interceptor stockpiles is one of many considerations that have made a return to major combat operations a hugely risky endeavor, administration officials say.
Mr. Trump and his top aides are also uneasy about the prospect of a widening war in the Middle East, the alienation of key Gulf allies who are vulnerable to Iranian attack, a global economic crunch, and growing energy and refugee crises.
Trump’s turnaround on bombing Iran came after he met on Friday with top advisers and senior members of his cabinet, according to two people briefed on the discussion.
The private deliberations have focused on the Pentagon’s shrinking inventory of Patriot interceptors and other air defenses, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Three U.S. soldiers in Jordan were killed last Friday when a ballistic missile slipped through American air defenses fending off a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones, a senior U.S. official said. Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has cautioned privately that resuming major combat operations against Iran was doable but that it would dangerously deplete interceptors available to the military’s Central Command, which is responsible for operations in the Middle East, the officials said.
This Is a Concern
Ukrainian President struck a Russian front in the Caspian Sea. He droned a Russian cargo ship. Both Zelensky and Netanyahu are heading to D.C. and want to merge the two wars.
As Bannon says here, it’s very dangerous.
Zelensky has in the past said not to fear nuclear war with Russia, and he is eager to get the US into direct war with Iran. Trump would be better off surrendering that putting boots on the ground or merging these wars.
DEVELOPMENT: ZELENSKYY “STRIKES” IRANIAN CARGO SHIPS EXPLAINED@JackPosobiec: This last Saturday is not getting a lot of attention. Iranian Cargo ships that were headed…across the Black Sea…Iranian supply ship that was sending a supply…to Russia. Netanyahu and Zelenskyy… pic.twitter.com/CzWvBINUnE
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) July 27, 2026
President Trump Responds
President Trump said last night in an interview with News 12 that he decided to suspend the American attacks against Iran in order to give another chance to negotiations, but emphasized that he may order a return to more powerful military action if diplomatic efforts fail.
Talks are mainly conducted between Iran and Oman. However, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt and Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are actively involved in the efforts.
“We are having very deep conversations with Iran. If they don’t succeed, we will return to very powerful military action”, Trump said.
When asked how much time he was willing to give to diplomatic efforts, he replied: “Not much time. Either it will move fast, or it won’t happen at all.”
Trump said he decided to suspend the attacks on Friday because the countries that mediate between the United States and Iran and other countries in the Middle East asked him to give another chance for negotiations.
“Everyone involved in contacts with Iran asked me: ‘Don’t shoot’”, Trump said, emphasizing that in his opinion the Iranians want to reach a deal.
“There is nothing to gain and nothing to lose”, Trump said when explaining why he responded to the brokers’ request. According to him, since he put the attacks on hold, oil prices have fallen, and stock markets have risen.
Iran announced they aren’t interested in any peace talks with the US.
UPDATE
President Trump told the WSJ that we are not low on interceptors and the leak is false:
Trump denied that dwindling munitions are a problem, insisting in a statement to The Wall Street Journal that “we have far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need.”
At the same time, the White House said national security would be at risk if news organizations reported updated U.S. government figures on Patriot and Thaad missile expenditures showing the high number of interceptors that have been used since the war began.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, insisted the military has everything it needs for any mission Trump chooses.
