The United States has paused offensive military strikes against targets in Iran after nearly two weeks of daily operations focused around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a directive from President Donald Trump. The decision followed a high-level security briefing on Friday, during which U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper advised that the bombing campaign had reached the limit of its strategic and tactical effectiveness. Despite no U.S. strikes for three consecutive nights, Trump on Sunday used Truth Social to post an AI-generated image titled “Strike on Kharg” and to threaten future attacks on Iranian oil tankers and possible nuclear research sites.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.