WASHINGTON (Realist English). For the first time in nearly two weeks, the United States has not carried out new airstrikes on Iran.
The pause in bombings came after President Donald Trump on July 24 ordered the military to refrain from further strikes — on the same day an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran for talks on the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Axios, Trump had approved strike plans daily for 13 days but refused to authorise another bombing on July 24.
At the same time, the military remains fully prepared. “The American army is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to carry out tasks at any time and anywhere on the president’s orders,” said Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
The Omani Diplomatic Demarche
The pause in strikes coincided with an intensification of Omani diplomatic efforts. An Omani delegation arrived in Tehran on July 24 for talks on a new agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz. According to CBS News, citing regional sources, the negotiations are moving in a positive direction, although a final agreement will take more time.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that “general principles and operational mechanisms” for ensuring safe navigation, taking into account the sovereign rights of both countries, are being discussed. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei called the talks “useful” and said progress had been made.
Key disagreements remain. Iran insists on charging fees for vessel passage and proposes a joint management system with Oman. Oman, for its part, rejects the imposition of fees and proposes creating two corridors — through Iranian and Omani territorial waters.
Iran also warned that any US decision to resume strikes could lead to a wider regional conflict.
Depleting Arsenals and Pressure from Allies
The pause in strikes resulted not only from diplomatic initiatives but also from internal warnings. At a closed White House meeting on July 24, Vice President JD Vance and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine expressed serious concern about the depletion of US arsenals.
General Caine directly warned Trump about the state of ammunition stockpiles and the broader consequences of escalation. As The New York Times notes, the administration believes that further escalation would only deplete already strained stocks of interceptor missiles and other defensive munitions in the region.
Gulf states in recent days have also strongly urged Washington to show restraint.
Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz Nearly Halted
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, remains virtually paralysed. According to Kpler, daily vessel traffic through the strait has fallen by about 70% — from 45 vessels during the ceasefire period to 13 per day as of July 23.
Despite the pause in airstrikes, the naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place. CENTCOM has confirmed that the blockade remains in “full effect.”
US Casualties Exceed 600 Wounded: Pentagon Accounting Scandal
While diplomats seek a way out of the crisis, the Pentagon has found itself at the centre of a scandal. On July 26, the updated casualty database recorded more than 140 new wounded and reinstated four soldiers who had been killed in Iranian strikes over the past weekend. Since the war began on February 28, 18 service members have been killed, and another 624 have been wounded.
Last week, the Pentagon came under heavy criticism when the number of killed and wounded in the DCAS system suddenly decreased. A Pentagon spokesman attributed this to “temporary data glitches” on the website. Twelve Democratic senators from the Armed Services Committee sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding an explanation for the changes.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said at a July 21 hearing that she was concerned about how the administration is circumventing Congress by restarting the War Powers Act “clock.”
Trump characterised the pause as a “window for negotiations” rather than a permanent cessation of hostilities. “We are talking to them right now. I think they are becoming more serious with each passing day. We are ready and able to act, but we are negotiating with them,” the president said.
Iran, for its part, suspended retaliatory strikes after two nights without US bombings but warned that Washington’s strategy remains unclear.
As one source noted, the warnings from Vance and Caine were just one of many arguments voiced at the meeting. The question is whether Omani diplomacy can turn a temporary pause into a lasting agreement — or whether the Middle East will once again be engulfed in all‑out war.
