Why has the US halted its bombing of Iran?

The United States paused military strikes against Iran on Friday, ending a nearly two-week period of escalating bombardments that had included operations in the Strait of Hormuz. The halt followed the breakdown of an Islamabad-brokered ceasefire and represents a shift in the conflict's trajectory, with Washington ceasing attacks that had previously prompted Iranian retaliatory strikes on US military installations across the region.

Media outlets have reported that the US weapons stockpile, particularly air defence interceptors, may be running low, though President Donald Trump has publicly denied this assessment. Simultaneously, diplomatic pressure is intensifying on both sides to pursue negotiated solutions rather than continued military escalation, reflecting the heightened stakes of the ongoing confrontation.

Iran's military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia confirmed that Iranian retaliatory operations against US assets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan have also ceased, characterizing the Iranian approach as fundamentally retaliatory in nature. Global oil prices declined approximately 4 percent following the mutual halt in missile exchanges, signalling market expectations of a potential shift toward diplomatic engagement.

Despite the pause in strikes, the Strait of Hormuz—a critical waterway and major flashpoint in the conflict—remains effectively closed to international shipping. Iran's state broadcaster reported that six vessels attempted to navigate an unauthorised southern route through the strait, with one experiencing an accident while others returned to the Gulf under Iranian management. The closure stems from disagreements over shipping route control and management protocols, with Iran proposing shared management arrangements with Oman, though acceptance by the Trump administration and Gulf Cooperation Council countries remains uncertain.